When it comes to remakes, sometimes it seems like no property is safe. Everything from big blockbuster hits like Ghostbusters to award winning miniseries like Roots are fair game. Disney is remaking many of its classic cartoons as live-action films, such as the current box office juggernaut Beauty and the Beast. Some movies which are already remakes are getting remade again, like the upcoming Scarface. And when it comes to different genres, sometimes it seems like the movies getting remade the most often are horror films.

It almost seems like there is always a horror remake in theaters. Several of the major slasher franchises - A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, and Halloween - have been given a fresh start. So have some classic silent horror films, with voices given to the characters in Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. Numerous Stephen King films are getting remade, like the upcoming It even as different titles of his are being made for the first time, such as The Dark Tower. And now another horror film is getting a remake: the cult classic Maniac Cop.

According to Variety, Maniac Cop is being remade by Nicolas Winding Refn and Lene Børglum, who are serving as creative producers on the film. The original movie - as much an action/crime movie as a horror film - told the story of a cop serial killer, and the police officer who is blamed for the Maniac Cop's crimes.

The original film starred Bruce Campbell (Ash vs Evil Dead) as the innocent police officer who has to track down the evil Maniac Cop in order to stop the killings and clear his name. It was directed by William Lustig and written by Larry Cohen. Made on a budget of just over $1 million, it only played on 50 screens. On video, the movie became a cult classic and eventually two sequels were made.

The remake is going to be modernized, but still have a similar plot of a good cop trying to stop a bad cop. It was written by comic book writer Ed Brubaker with Refn collaborating and will be directed by John Hymes.

According to Børglum, another thing the remake will have in common with the original is the blending of genres, he called it an action thriller rather than a straight up horror film. He also mentioned that Hymes does well directing with a limited budget, indicating that remake will be a low-budget film, again like its predecessor.

Next: The Fly Remake in Development At 20th Century Fox

Maniac Cop begins filming this summer. Casting is currently underway.

Source: Variety