Rob Zombie Rebooting A Classic Family Sitcom
Rob Zombie is going to helm a reboot of a family sitcom.
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It has been some time since the rumor that the musician-turned-filmmaker Rob Zombie, best known for his extensive resume of hardcore horror films, will be directing the reboot of the famous The Munsters tv series has been circulating. Well, Zombie has finally put an end to the speculations about who will be bringing the classic family sitcom to the big screen by announcing that it’s indeed him who will be helming the film.
In a recent Instagram post, along with a title card reveal, Rob Zombie confirmed that he will be writing and directing a feature film based on the 60’s horror-comedy sitcom The Munsters.
“Attention Boils and Ghouls!,” Zombie wrote. “The rumors are true! My next film project will be the one I’ve been chasing for 20 years! THE MUNSTERS!
It is probable that the Rob Zombie directed feature is destined for the streamer Peacock instead of getting a theatrical release as it comes from Universal Studios via its 1440 Productions division that makes films and series for online streaming platforms.
The Munsters, which debuted on CBS in 1964 and ran for 70 episodes, followed a family of friendly monsters who relocated from Transylvania to an American suburb. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster, Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster, Al Lewis as Grandpa Munster, Beverley Owen as Marilyn Munster (later replaced by Pat Priest), and Butch Patrick as Eddie Munster. Even though the series ran for just two seasons, it has left an indelible mark and a loyal fan following that continues to demand its revival. And incidentally, Rob Zombie is also a big fan of the quirky family of monsters.
Rob Zombie had once claimed that he had seen every episode of the popular yet short-lived series “at least 17 times.” What further establishes him as a legitimate fan of the series is the fact that one of his hit songs, “Dragula,” is a result of the beloved episode, The Munsters: Hot Rod Herman, where Grandpa Munster builds a drag strip car.
Apart from the confirmation that Rob Zombie will be directing The Munsters reboot, there aren’t any more details about the film. But if we take into account the fact that Zombie has merely confirmed what Charles Murphy of Murphy’s Multiverse had reported months ago, then we might know what the cast of the reboot might look like. In his report, Murphy had shared that two of Rob Zombie’s usual selection of actors have already been added to the cast: Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman Munster and Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily Munster. He also added that Cassandra Peterson is also playing a supporting character in the film.
The Rob Zombie-directed feature won’t be the first attempt to revive The Munsters as back in 2012, Pushing Daisies showrunner Bryan Fuller tried to reboot the series under the title Mockingbird Lane. But the pilot episode was rejected by the network and the series was scrapped though the pilot was aired as a Halloween special later that year.
It remains to be seen whether Rob Zombie, who has made extreme horror flicks like House of 100 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, and 3 From Hell, will be able to instill and balance the comedic elements along with the horror factor, something original The Munsters series was famous for.
