- Sam Raimi Wants to 'Get Back to the Basics' on Spider-Man 4 (111 Comments)
- Must Watch: Teaser Trailer for A Nightmare on Elm Street! (109 Comments)
- Must Watch: Intense Trailer for Mel Gibson's Edge of Darkness (81 Comments)
- Must Watch: Second Official Trailer for Lee Daniels' Precious (78 Comments)
- Check These Out: High Res New Na'vi Photos from Avatar! (77 Comments)
- Paul Blart Director Steve Carr Hired for the Short Circuit Remake (Oct 27, 2009)
- Hitman's Xavier Gens Set to Direct Action Thriller 'The Fallout' (Oct 27, 2009)
- Bruckheimer & Straczynski Adapting 2K's Shattered Union (Oct 27, 2009)
- Steve Carell on Par for Rick Reilly Golf Comedy 'Missing Links' (Oct 26, 2009)
- Jason Reitman Calls Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim 'Matrix for Love' (Oct 26, 2009)
- Matt Damon & Josh Brolin Joining the Coen Brothers' True Grit (Oct 26, 2009)
- Ricky Gervais to Host the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards (Oct 26, 2009)
- Woody Allen's New Film Titled 'You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger' (Oct 26, 2009)
| Inglourious Basterds | 10/10 |
| It Might Get Loud | 9/10 |
| Inglourious Basterds | 8.5/10 |
| Star Trek | 9/10 |
| Monsters vs Aliens | 5/10 |
Universal Remaking Cronenberg's Twisted Videodrome
April 26, 2009
by Alex Billington
Another day, another remake. Universal has announced that they are remaking David Cronenberg's 1983 thriller Videodrome. They've already hired writer Ehren Kruger (of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen most recently) to put together a script, with Daniel Bobker (The Skeleton Key, The Brothers Grimm) producing. No word on a director or anything else, but they are modernizing it, turning into a "large-scale sci-fi action thriller." A remake of Cronenberg's Scanners is also in development, but it has hit some snags as of recent. Universal had to track down the rights all the way to Canadian distribution vet Rene Malo.
The original Videodrome starred James Woods as the head of Civic TV Channel 83, who makes his station relevant by programming "Videodrome," a series that depicts torture and murder that transfixes viewers. This updated remake will modernize that concept and infuse it with sci-fi elements like nano-technology. I'm not even going to really say much about this, because I know Cronenberg fans are going to tear this news apart. I'll wait to hear more before I start criticizing their decision, because who knows how it'll turn out, and it may introduce new viewers to Cronenberg's older work. As of now, Cronenberg won't be involved.
•  |
Related Articles
- » Russell Brand Headlining Universal's Drop Dead Fred Remake
- » First Trailer for Cronenberg's Eastern Promises
- » David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises Poster + New Photos
- » David Cronenberg is Remaking David Cronenberg's The Fly
- » RKO Pictures Remaking Isle of the Dead
- » Wes Anderson Remaking the French Comedy My Best Friend
Reader Feedback - 26 Comments »
1
… This Remake/Reeboot thing is getting way way way out of hand.
like I'm still aching over the Total Recall Re-boot and now Videodrome… and Scanners!
why Alex… Why?
next will be Johnny Pneumonic… i can feel it
and it hurts
DoomCanoe on Apr 26, 2009
2
You're absolutely right, Alex. Being a fan of the movie and a fan of Cronenberg, this is a disgraceful idea so far. Jazz it up with nano-tech and make it an action-thriller?
arghh!
If they want to remake it, at least make it in the same vein as the original. I mean - it was so damned good!!
Conrad on Apr 26, 2009
3
AAUGH! How could they do this!? This film was exactly what it was meant to be. It nailed it right on the head. It does not need a remake, and a remake only sullies the original. I'm extremely ticked by this one.
Alyx on Apr 26, 2009
4
Shit like this makes me want to be a director less and less, Hollywood is fucking lame right now, it's ridiculous, is there no studio willing to make an original idea for a movie. This just ruined my night a bit.
The Kid on Apr 26, 2009
5
How come no one is remaking "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?"
I mean, with inner city issues, gay rights and all, this concept could take on a WHOLE other meaning…
It could be like "Brokeback Mountain," only with lots of singing, jumping around and shit…
Dark Helmet on Apr 26, 2009
6
Oh, and #1….nice pun, man!
Dark Helmet on Apr 26, 2009
7
I happened to see videodrome once and it is a crazy fucked up movie. I can not imagine something like that being made today for mainstream audiences.
Is hollywood completely out of ideas?
Stevo on Apr 26, 2009
8
Umm, I know Variety wrote that logline for the original Videodrome, but it's blatantly incorrect.
Videodrome is my favorite film of all time, and hearing that it's being turned into some nanotech-infused epic action-thriller would have me laughing my ass off if I weren't simultaneously so angry.
Dan Winclechter on Apr 26, 2009
9
#1 it was getting out of hand years ago.
d1rEct on Apr 26, 2009
10
DEATH TO REMAKES! LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH!
Brian O'Blivion on Apr 26, 2009
11
mayyynnn hol up mayn! nah mayn!!!! dis a crime mayn Croney thowed mayn dey shuddint do dis mayn universal sum jackaz mayn!!
MAYNHOLUP! on Apr 27, 2009
12
These people just don't seem to understand. Cronenberg is subversive. You can't mainstream subversive counter-cinema. It's completely idiotic and I'm mortally offended by the suggestion of Cronenberg re-makes. At least it will flop.
midnightmovies on Apr 27, 2009
13
Lol another remake.
JimD on Apr 27, 2009
14
Entire team in Hollywood, are BABIES!!!
The Heavy on Apr 27, 2009
15
Fail.
Itri on Apr 27, 2009
16
this dont make sense it wont work cause the movie aint something that the general public going to watch do these people in hollywood dont realize that not all movies back in the days need a remake
movieboy on Apr 27, 2009
17
I hope huge asteroid is on its way to hit Earth very soon.
2+2=4? on Apr 27, 2009
18
Stupid fucking people.
VIDEODROME was made at a time when video was just being exploited/popularized in the forms of home video, cable tv, porn, network sex & violence, video art and MTV.
It was such a product of it’s time a nightmare version of what all that stuff poured into a blender and what it could become.
Now that time is over.
A remake is as irrelevant as a remake of “The Net” for Christ’s sake.
This is beyond un-original.
Dumb fucks.
The Duke of New York on Apr 27, 2009
19
Soon there will be a Howard the Duck remake
PJ H on Apr 27, 2009
20
Dude don't fucking remake Cronenberg. I haven't really watched enough of his movies to form an opinion on him, but I watched eXistenZ a few days ago and now even I understand enough about his type of movies that YOU DON'T REMAKE THEM into stupidly-large blockbuster films.
jman571 on Apr 27, 2009
21
how about a remake of "Terminator Salvation", you dump F****!?!?
thanks on Apr 27, 2009
22
FUCK OFF! FUCK OFF! LEAVE THESE MOVIES ALONE!
DCompose on Apr 27, 2009
23
The vagina in my chest disagrees with this remake.
Tom Dearsley on Apr 27, 2009
24
I smell a star wars remake? This is what happens when you don't own your films. The studio does and boom…
wm on Apr 27, 2009
25
fml.
Zach on Apr 30, 2009
26
How about re-releasing older cult classic movies instead of re-making them. There is an entire generation who probably hasn't seen them yet. Instead of getting the affect of the originals they will be subjected to re-made, re-envisioned fodder. Is there no originality or creativity left in hollywood or are studios and producers too lazy and cheap to care!! The sad part is people will pay to see the re-makes and if the re-make does poorly then the 'movie' gets blamed and the original suffers with it.
Suki on May 1, 2009