A century-old story byH. P. Lovecraftis getting a new feature adaptation. The iconic horror author contributed a wide variety of notable works to the genre. Some of the most famousH. P. Lovecraft storiesinclude the short story “The Call of Cthulhu” (which is part of the overall Cthulhu Mythos) and the novellasAt the Mountains of MadnessandThe Shadow over Innsmouth. The author’s work was known for its presentation of cosmic horrors that were frequently impossible for the protagonists to properly describe or witness without losing their senses.
There have been numerousLovecraftian horror moviesproduced over the years, with some - such as 2016’sThe Voidand 1997’sEvent Horizon- drawing inspiration from the author’s tone and overall mythos. However,a great many of these movies are direct adaptations of the author’s work. Some of the most notable examples are 2019’sColor Out of Space, 1963’sThe Haunted Palace, and many of the films of director Stuart Gordon, including 1986’sFrom Beyond, 2001’sDagon, and 2005’sDreams in the Witch-House.
Herbert West: Reanimator Is Being Reimagined
It Was Previously Made Into A Cult Classic
A new version ofHerbert West: Reanimatoris set to come to the screen.The 1922 H. P. Lovecraft novelette was previously loosely adapted into the gory 1985 cult horror movieRe-Animator, which followed upstart medical student Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) accidentally wreaking havoc when he invents a reagent that can awaken the dead. TheStuart Gordon movie, which also starred Bruce Abbott (Bad Dreams), Barbara Crampton (You’re Next), and David Gale (Search for Tomorrow), spawned two sequels.
The sequelBride of Re-Animatordebuted in 1990 and was followed byBeyond Re-Animatorin 2003.
PerDeadline,Herbert West: Reanimatoris being adapted into a modernized movieby Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe, who previously co-wrote the supernatural horror movieThe Haunting in Connecticut. Woodlake Entertainment is fully funding the project, with Jeffrey Lewis and Keith Previte producing. Executive producers will be John Simmons, Roger Lewis, and Andrew Trapani, the latter of whom was a producer onThe Haunting in Connecticut. Below, read a statement from Lewis, who is also the owner of Woodlake:
We are very excited for Woodlake and the amazing team assembled to reinvent this classic horror literature into a contemporary frightening feature film.
Our Take On The New Herbert West: Re-Animator Movie
It Needs To Separate Itself From 1985’s Re-Animator
The new adaptation of theH. P. Lovecraftnovelette has big shoes to fill. Although theRe-Animatormovieshave never been particularly commercially successful during their debuts,they have collectively formed a beloved horror franchise. This is especially true of the original movie, which has a Certified Fresh 92% Rotten Tomatoes score. However, if the new movie is a more direct adaptation of the source material, it could have something to offer to the cinematic canon that makes it feel like something other than a pale imitation of a title that is generally regarded as a classic.
