‘An American Werewolf in London’ Remake Gets a Writer
Aug 5, 2010 by Chris SchraderThe Weinstein Brothers have found a screenwriter for their An American Werewolf in London remake. Fans of the original, you have permission to groan.
Things have been pretty quiet recently in regards to the Weinsteins’ planned remake of An American Werewolf in London. Fans that were hoping they’d retreat from the idea with their tails between their legs are in for a bit of disappointment – the project is still moving forward and now it’s picked up a writer.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Fernley Phillips is in talks with the brothers to help deliver “a modern spin” on the horror/comedy classic. Phillips’ only produced credit to date is the Jim Carrey thriller The Number 23.
Although the Weinsteins lost out on the opportunity to buy back Miramax, they’ve always retained the Dimension Films label used to release genre films and it looks like they’re counting on recognizable horror brands to keep The Weinstein Company afloat. In addition to An American Werewolf in London, there are Hellraiser and Children of the Corn remakes on the way, as well as the sequels Scream 4 and Halloween 3.
Remaking An American Werewolf in London seemed inevitable after the original’s director, John Landis, revealed that Hollywood had been after him for years to sell the rights to the film. Last summer he finally caved and the Weinsteins walked away as the new caretakers of the property.
As far as Phillips goes, it’s hard to gauge exactly what he’s bringing to the table with such a brief resume. I know The Number 23 wasn’t a particularly good film but there’s no telling how much was altered from script to screen and how much blame should really be assigned to the writer. However, I’ll admit that my initial reaction was that they should have gone after someone a bit more experienced and nuanced. An American Werewolf in London has such an impressive blend of scares and laughs and it’d be so incredibly easy to go too far in one direction with a remake.
The bigger problem is that I don’t think they should be remaking the film at all. Particularly because it seems like part of the Weinstein’s desperate effort to reinvigorate their company and not something born from passion or admiration. If a name like Edgar Wright were tossed into the mix I’d still be skeptical, but somewhat hopeful as well. At the moment though, this seems like the shameless exploitation of a recognizable title with no deeper aspirations.
I suppose we can blame Twilight for the renewed interest in vampires and werewolves. I really hope they don’t attempt to pander to that crowd with a new version of An American Werewolf in London. I think it’s equal parts hysterical and frightening what some misguided Twilight fans think of Stephenie Meyer’s contributions to werewolf mythology.
I remember when our friends at Latino Review covered a story about one particular fan who wrote an angry letter to Universal just before the release of The Wolfman, boldly declaring that those at the studio should be ashamed of themselves for ‘stealing the werewolf character from Meyer’s series of books.’ These are strange times we’re living in, friends.
I’m not sure how you’d put a modern spin on An American Werewolf in London, but I do know it seems completely unnecessary.
Source: Los Angeles Times.
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Oh yeah…I’m groaning.. LEAVE IT ALONE! There was noting wrong with it. It was and IS still a great movie. The FX where great, there was already a sequel now Hollywood needs to leave it alone! Oh and Hollywood a note yto you, enough with the remakes and reboots. You need to come up with something new!
well it would be hard to recreate a classic werewolf movie like this one being american werewolf in london the makeup that rick baker did to creat this werewolf monster was so amazing there is no way that any make up artis that can make the werewolf better then the origale if rick baker is not going to the make up on american werewolf in london the remake then there is no way that the remake of american werewolf in london is going to be any good at all unless rick baker is doing the make up
Do I have something to say about this?
Hmmmmm, let me think….
How about, I get my compound bow and hunt down every single person involved with this ‘project’ and eliminate them? Sounds like a plan!
I mean, come on, this is just getting ridiculous, even today the effects on the original look great because they were practical effects. The film is still scary, clever and funny. if it were none of those things, then yeah sure, why not, remake it, but as it is a genuine classic piece of cinema leave it the hell alone you gypsy scum!
the remake trends continue!!!!!! when will the madness END already damn
it might end when the shameless 3D trend ends
Just too prove my point that 3D has gotten out of hand check this article out.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100808/wl_asia_afp/hongkongjapanchinafilmpornography_20100808051130#mwpphu-container
“I suppose we can blame Twilight for the renewed interest in vampires and werewolves.”
Yyyyyyyyeah! But there are plenty of werewolf stories out there. Why rape a classic?!
I agree, the movie does NOT need to be made!
If they’re gonna remake anything, remake American Werewolf in Paris! That movie sukt anyway!
Thank you! Someone who agrees with me!
Wait wait wait! I got it! There’s one thing that might actually make this work (though I don’t see it happening).
Woody Harrelson!
“Tallahasee” turning into a werewolf is something I’d actually like to see!
sound good. now all i want to see get remade and get remade right is the island of dr moreau,the creature from the black lagoon,resident evil like the first game,and i would love to see steve altens the loch get made, and more killer animal creature features in the same vein as anaconda and others like that,and a splice sequel, and some more unique monster films like that, and a underworld origins film about the corvinus family, and a x-men remake done by marvel like grant morrisons run the new x-men,and generation-x,and district-x. these films would be very creative,and story driven and could make alot of money while still being very good films that make you think a little bit instead of insulting your intellect. lol these would be great films to see. but this one should be great if they keep close to the source material.
lol.i can only laugh at you sir
I can only offer a snort in his general direction
If the Weinsteins make this happen, they should also remake the sequel. They could film them a the same time and save money. At the end of London, instead of killing the wolf, he dog-paddles the English Channel and comes ashore in France. They could judge the popularity of the first two and if people like them (makes money), the Weinsteins could create a franchise of “An American Werewolf in (insert major world city)” movies. Fingers crossed for “An American Werewolf in Baghdad.”
“Where…wolf?”
“There…wolf!”
“No…THERE..lack of imagination resulting in crappy remakes/reboots!!!”
Recycling the classics is the business plan these days…
I advise everyone to avoid these films and withhold the precious life blood from these blood sucking studios…
god these need to end, seriously…and stay away from Carpenter films!!
Well they will make a Escape from New York remake soon.
Even John Carpenter needs to stay away from John Carpenter films until he sorts himself out…
I’m really looking forward to this. I welcome every remake being made today. No complaints here.
I thought you were being sarcastic there, brooklynpsycho, but from what you said on the I Spit On Your Grave thread I see you mean it. You welcome every remake. Certainly there are good ones, but for every John Carpenter’s The Thing there’s a dozen more infinitely worse than John Carpenter’s Village Of The Damned. You may say a terrible remake doesn’t diminish the original, but don’t you see any problems at all?
More remakes, less original work commissioned and encouraged. Generation with the attention span of goldfish herded into an entertainment blind alley free of context, history and significance, where all that matters is the CGI looking convincing. Ever-diminishing pool of original work to remake. Remakes of remakes. Cultural stagnation. Entropy. Pieces of my soul dropping off like wet cake. Devoured by squat, giggling demons with bad hair. Know what we end up with then? John McTiernan’s Rollerball.
Or were you just talking about horror movies?
Agree, only because as much as I HATE remakes I’m for almost any movie that has a Werewolf in it. (almost = Twilight movies)
Twilight does not count. They are NOT werewolves!
I do love werewolves though. Especially this movie.
Big D, if your going to engage a guy named Brooklyn Psycho over his love for remakes you better sharpen up those fangs.
Mental wards are wrought with drug use and apathy.
^
And internet privileges are fleeting,,, lol!
No worries 790, just think of Laurence Olivier in Marathon Man…
“Is it safe?”
Ironically Big D, if he would have said it was safe, they would have killed him anyway,,,
He tried both, and still ended up in the street in his pyjamas with a bottle of oil of cloves!
,,,can I throw up now…?
I want someone else to play both main characters in the remake movie.
i hope rick baker will mak the werewolf becuse the first werewolf was cool now i bet it will be better so good luck to the makers
i loved these!! its a magic!! i have the picture and i can see everytime!!!!
I want their to be a remake and both of the main characters to be werewolves.
Please no. This movie was great! I wasn’t a big fan of the nudity scenes, porn movie, or sex scenes but the graphics were fantastic!! CGI bores me in the horror genre and I have been more terrified with regular make-up. I remember seeing the transformation scene for the first time (at fifteen) and was terrified yet fascinated at the same time. I feel that CGI will be used- therefore ridding the intensity of the movie. Landis also hid the werewolf for the entire movie with audiences gasping at brief clips of the beast. If they want to make money, just bring Landis’ American Werewolf in London back to the big screen!!! I feel that the remake will fail just like an American Werewolf in Paris.
Agreed.
NO DON’T DO IT! Step away from the Wolf, hands off one of the best movies ever made. 30 years on and it still looks brilliant, there is no need to make this movie at all, just watch the original. The cast, the music, the FX are just perfect as they are. No one is thinking about re-painting the mona lisa or re-building Buckingham Palace, thats because they are fine as they are!
Wow , Even though i concider it to be sacriligious to remake such a timeless classic ,Whats the worse that can happen – it could turn out to be such garbage like ‘The Fog’ or ‘The Amityville Horror’ remakes of which both had great outstanding originals but were remade into heavy cgi’d teeny crowd pleasing tripe!
An American Werewolf In London is one of my favourite movies ( and not too mention scary as hell ) and is has lost non of its bite (tee hee ) ,I trully feel that although it is not necessary to be remade , It can only help aid younger horror audiences appreciate horror more ( if done right ), Also – it cant get any worse than the sequel ( paris ) – right !
listen everyone loves the original and if u dont then ur not normal .but i also love werewolf movies.so i think u should go watch the new one as just a new werewolf movie and dont be watching tryin to compare to the classic ,cause thats what ur gonna do.cause i dont think theyre making it like halloween remake .wich was pretty the same scene 4 scene as the original with added scenes mixed in and a little more info into michael.wich was good ..so if we can get a bit more info into maybe the moors and maybe a bit more story of the villagers .cause they must have had a few run ins with the wolf.anyway give it a chance .but they better get the special effects right i dont want another american werewolf in paris..tell me if u agree email odonnethm@aol.com
I do agree. If they use the same costume and keep to the same story, with maybe just a little bit more, I would hope it wouldn’t ruin it. I love the original one. Just hope they don’t ruin it. It would be cool to see it on the big screen though.
Arrrggghhg why are they doing it???! Ruining legendary films because they can’t get their own ideas!! Hell raiser?? Really?? Hate modern film makers.
Well, a modern spin presuabmly will involve bland, camera-friendly youneger actos, no characterisation or humour and lots of OTT violence and effects. Heavy metal, babes kung-fu fighting… Jesus, I can’t wait!!! I just hope they remake Jaws too, with Justin Beiber as Quint!!
‘An American Werewolf in London’ has got to be the very best werewolf movie ever made, ever. The mixture of dark comedy and real horror is perfect.
I am a big fan of werewolf/wolfman movies, from the original B-movie “The Werewolf of London” up to AAWIL…
The werewolf in this movie is positively the scariest ever conceived!! Not some bipedal wolf-cross as in other movies, like those vampire vs werewolf flicks and even Van Helsing…THIS werewolf is totally horrifying…The way it walks on all fours like a real wolf, but with that demonic face with brilliant, always-frowning, glaring eyes; to its short upwards-pointing muzzle with those terrifying oversized fangs…Honestly this creature reminds me of a cross between a wolf, a gorilla and an ant-lion larva. I’ve seen the restored set-wolf and it is just scary to this day. Near the end of the movie, when the werewolf is walking the streets of the city, growling and snapping at anyone who comes near, that is one of the best werewolf scenes ever!!
And another very important aspect of this movie which made it so great: They never really ‘showed’ the werewolf!! Only very quick shots of it, which makes your imagination work more!!!
I do not know how they will make the werewolf in the remake…but in my eye, there is absolutely no way they can make it better…if they insist on remaking the movie, use the exact same werewolf!!!
Huge fan of the original. I would definitely go see the remake but I do not think it would compare. They already tried and they failed. It amazes me that with all of the technology they have today compared to 30 years ago, they can’t make a werewolf as scary as that one. Even the werewolves in the Howling movies are better then todays cgi crap
For the love of all that is righteous and good, this must never, Never, NEVER happen! If it ever get green lighted I hope all the bad things in life happen to all the creators of such an atrocity. Hollywood’s current lack of creativity is absolutely pathetic and sickening. LEAVE IT ALONE YA UNORIGINAL JERKS!!!
Dear God they’re going to ruin ANOTHER classic!!!!!! I can just imagine the emotionless teeny boppers and CGI they’re going to pollute this epic story with. LEAVE THE WOLF ALONE!!! And to the Twilight yahoo that got into a fit over someone supposedly “stealing” Meyer’s werewolves, read a book OTHER THAN THAT LAME SERIES, and get educated. The world doesn’t revolve around sparkly bipedal mosquitoes and their imprinting puppy dogs.