James Wan in early talks to develop Creature From the Black Lagoon movie for Universal

After merging his Atomic Monster film and TV production company with Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions earlier this year, James Wan looks to have finally set his next movie to direct, a remake of the 1954 monster horror film Creature From the Black Lagoon. More on this upcoming movie and Wan's potential involvement below.

Many people might recognize Wan as the creator of the highly successful The Conjuring Universe. He's also the co-creator of other successful horror franchises, such as the Saw franchise and the Insidious film series. But while he's been signed on as producer or executive producer on recent projects, he hasn't sat in the director's chair since 2023's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Now, it's been reported that he's in early talks to direct a Creature From the Black Lagoon remake for Atomic Monster and Universal Pictures. He will reportedly produce the film through his Atomic Monster production company, with Atomic Monster’s Michael Clear and Judson Scott signed on as executive producers.

While plot details are being kept under wraps, The Hollywood Reporter reports that the remake is being described as a "grounded modernized retelling that leans into visceral horror while paying respect to the original classic." According to THR, Wan and his team of collaborators had pitched an idea for a remake of the 1954 classic to Universal before it was greenlit. Now, the creative team is looking for a writer(s) to pen the script.

The original 1954 black-and-white monster film was directed by Jack Arnold from a screenplay co-written by Harry Essex and Arthur Ross. It centers around a group of scientists who, while embarking on a journey to the Black Lagoon, encounter a half-human, half-amphibian creature known as the Gill-man. They try to capture the prehistoric creature and bring it back to civilization to research it, but the Gill-man doesn't take kindly to this. Instead, it begins to attack and kill the research team one by one.

The cast includes Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Nestor Paiva, Whit Bissell, Ben Chapman, Ricou Browning, and several others. Due to Creature from the Black Lagoon's success, it would later go on to spawn two sequels: Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).

Many remakes were also planned in the past, and well-known filmmakers such as John Carpenter, Peter Jackson, and Ivan Reitman were attached. But they ultimately ended up being canceled. Fingers crossed, Wan's potential remake gets to see the light of day. Don't worry. We'll constantly update you on Wan's Creature From the Black Lagoon remake, so stay to the 1428 Elm!

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