Arachnophobia director Christopher Landon teases that the remake is almost ready to go into production. Best known for his director credits for Happy Death Day and its sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, Landon specializes in creating horror comedies, which have received both commercial and critical success throughout his years as a filmmaker. Landon will likely continue this style with Arachnophobia, a remake of Frank Marshall's original 1990 horror comedy that starred John Goodman and Jeff Daniels.
Speaking with Discussing Film, Landon confirmed that he wants his next movie after We Have a Ghost to be the Arachnophobia remake. He confirmed that the script for the Arachnophobia film has been completed and that there are certain elements to the film that are already beginning to manifest. Check out what Landon had to say below:
"I’m hoping it should be my next film. We’re getting super close. The script’s done. I’ve been working on that for a while now. So now it’s just really about getting it together. I met a spider wrangler the other day, so that’s a good sign!"
What To Expect From An Arachnophobia Remake
Landon's attachment to an Arachnophobia remake was first announced in June 2022, with Amblin Partners and James Wan's Atomic Monster Productions attached to produce the film. While there was little news surrounding the film since its announcement last summer, Landon's latest update is a good sign that Arachnophobia will crawl into theaters in the near future. The remake will likely introduce the horror of Arachnophobia's highly venomous spiders to a new audience while bringing a newly imagined take compared to the original film.
Landon meeting with someone who works with spiders may indicate that real arachnids will be used in the remake. In Frank Marshall's 1990 original, more than 300 real Avondale spiders were used during the film's production. If the new Arachnophobia utilizes real spiders instead of practical effects or CGI, it may better capture the original's terror that played on the concept of fearing spiders.
While it's unclear when the film will go into production and how much more prep work is required, Landon's Arachnophobia remake is already shaping up to be a project dedicated to capturing the original film's aesthetic. The Happy Death Day director's hope for the remake to be his next project shows how much he wants to dive into the movie and envision a familiar horror comedy with a new spin on the premise. A completed script and the possibility of real spiders in the film means the Arachnophobia remake might be faithful to the original movie and will come to theaters very soon.
Source: Discussing Film