Sam Raimi's Remake of the 1978 Puppet Horror Film MAGIC Moving Forward at Lionsgate
Sam Raimi, the legendary filmmaker behind Evil Dead, is teaming up with Roy Lee, producer of Barbarian and Weapons, to bring us a fresh take on the 1978 psychological horror film Magic to Lionsgate.
The remake was first reported on over three years ago, and now we know it’s being scripted by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, the duo best known for Freddy vs. Jason and Send Help.
Raimi is only attached as a producer, and a director hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s clear Lionsgate is betting big on reviving this unsettling story.
The original Magic, directed by the late Richard Attenborough and adapted from the novel by William Goldman, starred Anthony Hopkins as Charles “Corky” Withers, a struggling magician-turned-ventriloquist who finds fame with the help of his dummy Fats.
Corky slowly loses control as his twisted puppet develops a disturbing life of its own. The film also featured Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, and Ed Lauter, cementing its place as one of the creepiest ventriloquist tales ever put on screen.
According to Lionsgate’s official press release, Chris Hammond and Tim Sullivan will also produce the film, with Meredith Wieck and Pavan Kalidindi overseeing the project for the studio.
That’s all that’s been revealed for now, but the thought of Raimi bringing his horror pedigree to Magic has the potential to be terrifyingly good.
Via: Fangoria