Stan Winston's 1988 cult hit monster movie Pumpkinhead is set to receive the remake treatment, and here's everything we know about it so far. Horror history is packed full of memorable creatures, and in some ways, the monster is the creative lifeblood of the genre. Most horror fans enjoy a good creature feature, and one of the coolest creatures to date emerged from Pumpkinhead, the directorial debut of late special effects icon Stan Winston, and one of only two films he ever helmed.
Pumpkinhead centers on Ed Harley (genre icon Lance Henriksen), a store owner who lives with his young son Billy out in the country. One day, a group of trouble-making teen campers arrives in the area, and a dirtbike accident leads to Billy's death. His world shattered, Ed seeks the help of an old witch, who can't resurrect Billy, but can conjure up a demon called Pumpkinhead to get revenge on those who took his life. Despite the warning that said vengeance will come with a terrible price, Ed insists, and Pumpkinhead starts picking off the teens one by one.
Pumpkinhead sank at the box office, but the film found an audience on home video and via cable airings, becoming renowned primarily for its practical monster, designed by Winston himself. Pumpkinhead went on to receive three really bad sequels, but a remake/reboot is reportedly on the way. Here's what we know so far.
Pumpkinhead Remake Release Date
In 2016, it was announced that Saw producer Peter Block was shepherding a Pumpkinhead reboot to the screen. In November 2019, Block assured fans that the Pumpkinhead remake/reboot was still in the works, and that big news on it will be announced fairly soon. That said, it's still way too early to try and predict a release date, since production is still far from kicking off.
Pumpkinhead Remake Story & Cast
Block co-wrote the Pumpkinhead remake/reboot script with Nate Atkins, and says while it borrows a lot from the original and contains lots of fan-pleasing Easter eggs, it isn't a straight up remake of the previous story. Block also plans to use practical effects as a tribute to Stan Winston. However, with things being in the early stages, there's been no casting announced, and further story details aren't yet available. As of January 2020, the big news teased by Block in November 2019 still hasn't materialized, and it's unclear when further updates will arrive. One hopes at least that Lance Henriksen could be convinced to appear in some capacity.