After a series of stops and starts, it seems that Universal could be on the verge of giving the green light to a remake of 1935’s Bride Of Frankenstein.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Risky Biz Blog , Universal and Imagine are in talks with Neil (The Illusionist) Burger to write and direct the remake,which has been on the boil for some years. About five years ago, American Splendor scribes Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini were attached to write the screenplay for the Uni/Imagine update, updating the story to contemporary New York, with a young woman dying and then unnaturally brought back to life. Burger’s version is expected to differ significantly from that concept.
The question is, what form will the remake take? It seems an odd movie to remake, and not just because the original is deemed a classic. Director James Whale’s original is widely regarded as on of the first (and few) movie sequels which improves on the original, but it’s also renowned as much for being a dark comedy as a horror. Would that approach be what modern Universal is after? Doubtful. And would it work without a Frankenstein remake to follow-up? Or will both Frankenstein’s monster and his bride be created in the same movie?
