It used to be that if it was time for a horror fix, Universal Studios was the place to go. Then, Hammer took over as King of Killers. New Line and Lionsgate both had their time in the spotlight after that, but now, there’s only one name that people would give as Titan of Terror. We’re talking, of course, about Blumhouse. Blumhouse is not only coming up with some of the best original horror in movies today, it’s also rebooting some very popular horror franchises. With that in mind, we came up with a list of what we’d like to see Blumhouse take on… and what we think if should stay away from. So turn on the lights and pul the covers up close, here are 5 Horror Franchises Blumhouse Should Reboot (and 5 They Shouldn’t).
Should: Frankenstein
It seems like people have forgotten how scary the story of Frankenstein should be. Don’t get us wrong, we’re intrigued by that Frankenstein police procedural coming to CBS. Still, it’s a shame that Frankenstein has been tamed as much as it has for a modern audience. However, if Blumhouse were in charge of a Frankenstein series, we know that the original terror Mary Shelley used to build both the science fiction and horror genres would be right back where it belongs. Plus, this would be an opportunity for Blumhouse to use Guillermo Del Toro as a director, and that’s something just too enticing to ignore.
Shouldn’t: Psycho
Cult favorite Bates Motel recently did a great job adapting the Psycho story for the small screen. Now that it’s over, someone is bound to hop on the chance to continue the story of Norman Bates. However, we hope it’s not Blumhouse. Not that they wouldn’t do a great job of it, it’s just that the Norman Bates story is familiar to so many horror fans. Even the twist ending is a widely known plot point. We’d rather Blumhouse focus on rebooting different franchises.
Should: Phantasm
Even in popular horror communities, Phantasm doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. The dream-like, trippy, science fiction horror still stands as one of the most unique entries in the genre, even 40 years after its original release.
A new franchise set in the world of Phantasm would be an amazing project for Blumhouse to take on. We do have two conditions, though. First, bring original director Don Coscarelli on the film. And two, don’t recast the Tall Man. That part is Angus Scrimm’s alone.
Shouldn’t: I Know What You Did Last Summer
How do you make a movie about a group of teens with a secret in the Instagram age? Admittedly, Blumhouse could probably come up with some answers to that. However, it’s hard to imagine just how different those answers would be from the very familiar story of I Know What You Did Last Summer. Plus, the format of a teen slasher is a well-trodden path in the world of horror. That’s not to say that no one can do anything new with it (watch Happy Death Day), but we do think it could be hard to pull off. And we’d rather Blumhouse focus that effort elsewhere.
Should: The Omen
You don’t have to spend too much time online to feel like the world is coming to an end. That’s why a new apocalyptic horror franchise would be perfect for today. We as a horror audience have actually gotten a little comfortable with the end of the world. Post-apocalyptic movies like 28 Days Later and Bird Box have put it in our heads that the apocalypse isn’t as scary as what comes after. We think it’s high time the apocalypse is scary once more, and we’d trust Blumhouse more than anyone to make it so.
Shouldn’t: The Amityville Horror
Haunting of Hill House proved that haunted house horror is far from over. However, if Hollywood wants to return to Amityville, Blumhouse isn’t the way to go. That’s because, to fairly reboot the Amityville franchise, a studio would have to put Ed and Lorraine Warren in the film, as they were the paranormal investigators on the case.
And if those names sound familiar, it’s because they are pivotal characters in The Conjuring series, which is owned by New Line Pictures. It follows, then, that New Line would have to pick up Amityville as well.
Should: Ginger Snaps
There a ton of ways Blumhouse can return to the fantastic teen werewolf franchise that is Ginger Snaps. One is, of course, to restart the franchise entirely, with modern teens going through the hell that the original characters faced. Just in a modern, social-media-rules world. Then the other way Blumhouse could bring Ginger Snaps back is by returning to the world of the original series, allowing for time to pass like it did in our world. This is what they did with last year’s Halloween, and the results were incredible.
Shouldn’t: Hellraiser
Yes, we know that Jason Blum recently expressed interest in rebooting the Hellraiser franchise. However, Dimension Films has been working with Clive Barker on a reboot for some time now, and we think that their commitment to the project has earned them the rights. Plus, the Hellraiser series needs Clive Barker to succeed, so whichever studio he works with is the one that should have the rights to the reboot.
Should: Nightmare On Elm Street
Remember what we said about Ginger Snaps? That Blumhouse has the option to bring back the original storyline? Well, in this potential reboot, that is an absolute necessity. Blumhouse shouldn’t be satisfied with bringing back the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, it should bring back the original cast.
That’s right, recast Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger and Heather Langenkamp as Nancy. It doesn’t even have to be perfectly in continuity with the rest of the films. Just so long as those two return. Again, look to last year’s Halloween to see proof of that working.
Shouldn’t: Scream
Scream is an incredible franchise. From the design of Ghostface to the fantastic characterization of Sidney, it stands out as the best overall series in the genre. However, Scream works best when there’s a common thread going on in horror. And right now, there just isn’t. Horror is as diverse a genre as it’s ever been, and general commentary on it would be hard to nail down. That said, there will mostly come a time very soon when horror starts to look a bit more familiar. At that time, someone should reboot Scream, and Blumhouse should definitely throw its hat in the ring.
Which horror franchises deserve a reboot? Which ones do you
think Blumhouse could really get right? Let us know in the comments section below!
