Last week, Universal Pictures unveiled new details about theirUniversal Monsters Shared Universe, which will officially kick off in 2017 with theUntitled Mummy Reboot. The end credits scene in last year’sDracula Untoldserved as a “prologue” to this universe. One of the several other projects in development at Universal is aremakeofBride of Frankenstein, with a report fromThe Hollywood Reporterrevealing that the studio is eyeingAngelina Jolieto star as the title character. With Universal financing her latest directorial effort,By the Sea, the actress may be more inclined to star inBride of Frankenstein, to return the favor forBy the Sea, which has tanked at the box office, earning just $313,000 after two weeks in theaters.
TheBride of Frankensteinreboot has been in the works for several years, withNeil Burger(Divergent,Limitless) signing on to write and direct the reboot back in 2009.Brian GrazerandSean Danielwere set to produce, with a screenplay byNeil Burgerand Dirk Wittenborn (The Lucky Ones). This new report still listsBrian Grazeras a producer, but it isn’t known ifNeil Burgerand Dirk Wittenborn are involved.
The report goes onto claims that the studio wants the actress to return forWanted 2, a sequel toTimur Bekmambetov’s 2008 hitWantedthat has been languishing in development for years. Producer Marc Platt revealed last year thatWanted 2is still happening, but thescriptbyDerek HaasandMichael Brandtstill isn’t finished yet. It isn’t known ifTimur Bekmambetovwill be back to direct, or how the story plans on resurrectingAngelina Jolie’s character Fox, who sacrifices herself at the end ofWanted.
As forBride of Frankenstein, it isn’t known when Universal may move forward on the production. The studio also has Dracula,Van HelsingandThe Wolfmanin development under this cinematic universe, but it isn’t known which will happen next, after theUntitled Mummy Reboot, which starts shooting next spring and is set for release on August 02, 2025. The originalBride of Frankensteinwas a much more light-hearted follow-up to 1931’sFrankenstein, starring Boris Karloff as the monster and Elsa Lanchester as the bride.
Universal put together awriters roomfor this entire franchise, which was overseen byAlex KurtzmanandChris Morgan. The writers who were part of this collective includeNoah Hawley(FargoTV series),Aaron Guzikowski(Prisoners),Ed Solomon(Men In Black) andJay Basu(Monsters: Dark Continent), who will each be responsible for their own monster movie.Eric HeissererandJon Spaihtswere recently added to this collective, signing on to writeVan Helsing. What do you think aboutAngelina Jolieplaying theBride of Frankenstein?
