Michael Giacchino's THEM! Remake Gets Exciting Update as Matt Reeves-Produced Sci-Fi Horror Film Moves Forward
I've been waiting for Michael Giacchino to get his remake of the 1954 sci-fi horror classic Them! off the ground ever since it was first announced.
The idea of the filmmaker behind Marvel's Werewolf by Night taking on a giant mutant ant movie sounded awesome, especially with Matt Reeves joining the project as a producer. After a long stretch without much news, we've finally got a promising update!
While speaking with ScreenRant, Giacchino confirmed that he and Warner Bros. are "still pushing it forward." The filmmaker explained that studio mergers and scheduling conflicts have slowed development, but things are starting to fall into place.
Giacchino shared: “Now that the dust is sort of settling, we’re re-getting into it and my hope is that, yes, this is a movie that will get made and we’re doing the best we can.”
That's exciting news for anyone who's been looking forward to seeing giant radioactive ants terrorize moviegoers again. I've been excited about this remake from the beginning, and I'm happy to hear Giacchino hasn't given up on bringing it to the big screen.
The original Them!, directed by Gordon Douglas, followed a military investigation in New Mexico after enormous ants mutated by nuclear radiation began attacking people. The discovery eventually led to a much bigger problem, with two young queen ants escaping to establish new colonies elsewhere in the country.
Released alongside the rise of nuclear monster movies such as Godzilla and It Came from Beneath the Sea, Them! became one of the defining sci-fi horror films of the 1950s. It's a great monster movie with a creepy premise that could be a lot of fun to revisit with modern filmmaking techniques.
When Giacchino first signed on to direct the Warner Bros. remake in 2023, he indicated that he wanted to approach the story from a different angle. Rather than revisit the original film's fears surrounding nuclear weapons, his version would explore immigration through a sci-fi horror allegory.
That could make for an interesting new interpretation of the material, particularly if Giacchino can capture the same monster movie atmosphere that made Werewolf by Night so much fun.
The project has faced its share of obstacles since the announcement. Development was affected by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, and it's still unclear whether a screenwriter has officially been hired. Warner Bros. has also been dealing with major corporate changes, including its recent acquisition by Paramount Skydance.
Giacchino and Reeves have also had plenty on their plates. The two reunited on The Batman: Part II, while Giacchino's recent composing work includes The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and the upcoming animated adventure Ray Gunn.
There's still no confirmed production start date, cast, or release window, but getting the project moving again is a welcome development. This would also mark Giacchino's feature film directorial debut, and after seeing what he accomplished with Werewolf by Night, I'm really curious to see what he could do with a full-length creature feature.
Hopefully, we'll hear more about the script and production plans soon. I can’t wait to see how this turns out!