The Blob Remake Just Enveloped This Director
These days, when news hits about a movie remake, there’s a more-than-good chance it isn’t the first time the story has been retold. One of the latest classics getting retooled for modern audiences is the amorphous horror The Blob, and it now has a director, as the action-hound Simon West has signed on to bring this gloopy menace to the screen.
West is an interesting choice for this project, as he hasn’t really done anything that falls within the science fiction or horror genres. (You can mention When a Stranger Calls, but that movie just doesn’t exist to me.) He’s directed films like The Mechanic, The Expendables 2, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. His feature debut was 1997’s guilt-free action fest Con Air, which was recently rumored to have a space-bound sequel in the pipeline.
No screenwriter has been tapped yet, at least as far as Deadline‘s announcement goes, so there obviously aren’t any hard facts to consider where this new version’s plot is concerned. I don’t think it would be skiing off Speculation Mountain to say that it will follow an alien being that lands on Earth and starts swallowing shit up, as some people try to stop it.
As with the earlier versions of The Blob, a big part of the draw here will be the effects that bring the Blob to life. Here’s what West had to say about that:
With modern CGI we can now fully realize the potential of The Blob. The world I create will be totally believable, immersive and emotionally satisfying. It’s a thrill to introduce an enduring icon to a wider audience and a whole new era of fans.
There’s something worrisome about an entirely CGI Blob. Can we get Andy Serkis to do some performance capture? As far as actors go, the original film starred Steve McQueen, while the 1988 remake had Kevin Dillon in the lead. I wouldn’t be surprised if they cast Jason Statham for this one, since he’s worked with West on several films, including the upcoming crime actioner Wild Card.
Goldcrest Films is the company behind this new Blob flick, which will be produced by Richard Saperstein and Brian Witten, fresh off the adaptation of Stephen King’s Cell. Jack H. Harris, producer of the original film, is executive producing this one as well. From his hands to others’. Take a look at the trailer for the original below.
Principal photography is being planned for this summer, which means more news should be blobbling, er, bobbing up to the surface soon.
