Exclusive: Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Remake From Justin Lin Under Development
If you’re going to go back to the well, you may as well go big. According to our trusted and proven sources, Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin is helming Warner Bros.’s remake of the 1956 classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The influential sci-fi horror film portrays a covert extra-terrestrial invasion in which aliens “grow” perfect copies of human beings who infiltrate the society.
We’ve exclusively learned Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin is helming a remake of 1956’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
This is not the first time we’ve heard about Warner Bros. once more remaking Invasion of the Body Snatchers, though it is the first time we’ve heard about the project in a while. In 2017 Variety reported another version of the film was on the way with John Davis producing and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick writing the script. We don’t know if Davis and/or Johnson-McGoldrick remain attached to the project.
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers And Its Remakes
Judging by how often they’ve come out in the past, we seem overdue for a remake. Since the original’s release, the feature has already been remade three times, and — like the alien horror of Stephen King’s It — seems to come back around every couple of decades.
The first Invasion of the Body Snatchers hit theaters in 1956, and was a reflection of the McCarthyism of the time which made many Americans afraid of either Soviet infiltration, or of having their lives overturned with accusations of “Communist sympathies.” Kevin McCarthy stars as Dr. Miles Bennell who has an alarming number of patients convinced their family members have been replaced with perfect, soulless replicas.
Discovering the alien plant spores that are being used to grow the emotionless copies of human beings, Bennell ultimately goes mad, running into traffic and screaming, “They’re already here! You’re next! You’re next!”
Invasion of the Body Snatchers had its first remake hit theaters 22 years later, in 1978, with Donald Sutherland in the lead role (of Matthew Bennell this time). McCarthy was asked back for a small role, future Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum played Bennell’s friend Jack, and Star Trek icon Leonard Nimoy appeared as Dr. David Kibner.
It took only 15 years for the second remake, 1993’s Body Snatchers.
The most recent remake came 14 years later with 2007’s The Invasion. This time it was Nicole Kidman leading the film as Carol Bennell, opposite Daniel Craig as Ben Driscoll, the year after Craig premiered as James Bond in Casino Royale.
Since the original’s release, the feature has already been remade three times, and — like the alien horror of Stephen King’s It — seems to come back around every couple of decades.
It’s now been 16 years since the last Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake, so the reboot schedule seems consistent. Considering the renewed interest in aliens spurred by this year’s congressional hearings, the story could be viewed as particularly topical.
Once we know more about the Invasion of the Body Snatchers reboot, we’ll make sure you know.
