Last week we got our first look at Chucky from the reboot of Child’s Play and it hasn’t gone down well amongst horror fans.
First of all, there’s the obvious heresy of Chucky not being voiced by Brad Dourif, while there’s also the fact that co-creator Don Mancini isn’t involved and last but not least, there’s already an ongoing Child’s Play saga still in development that follows a long (and awesome) continuity. But that was all theoretical until MGM released the first image of their new hi-tech Chucky for the reboot, and I’m going to agree with the vast majority of fans that it looks pretty damn dumb.
Leading the chorus of ‘nopes’ was Mancini himself, who posted the following:
THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THAT SUBJECT pic.twitter.com/r2llIGSDWx
— Don Mancini (@RealDonMancini) September 21, 2018
Horror fans began to weigh in on this new Chucky as well, asking what the point of the reboot is, demanding Brad Dourif do the voice, claiming he looks like Pinocchio and sharing all manner of reaction gifs you’ve come to expect from Twitter.
https://twitter.com/FreddyInSpace/status/1043186712447541250
Not sure how I feel about the #ChildsPlay reboot. Nobody can do it like Brad Dourif.
— Jord 🎃 (@iluvhorror) September 19, 2018
Is brad dourif still the voice? Cause that chucky looks silly!
— Troy Vannocker (@BungJovi) September 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/jamesdshotwell/status/1043273815009189894
https://twitter.com/Lyricoldrap/status/1043224411447410690
New Chucky… thoughts? #No pic.twitter.com/3KVQ6cVM5a
— The RedOnYou Podcast (@TheRedOnYouPod) September 23, 2018
I will take a hard pass on this one, should have on the last one ✌️
— GRIMM HORROR (@GrimmHorror) September 23, 2018
If @TiffnyMovieStar saw the new Chucky come in her house: pic.twitter.com/C9k77uEh3f
— HR Sculptor (@HRZONE2) September 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/Str84Ward5_sk8/status/1044277129985314817
I’m pissed that the new chucky looks like Pinocchio 🤥
— 🌿kaycee marie🌿 (@kayceemariem) September 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/falalalexi/status/1043201121551085568
https://twitter.com/herrcurlsss/status/1044254956042285058
https://twitter.com/JoksterB/status/1044047508865859584
do we need all these remakes though really?! Sabrina the t. witch, Childs Play, Charmed are just to name a few aye. LEAVE THEM BE. it makes me sad that kids these days will watch the remakes thinking they're the either shit films or good, without watching the originals 🤦🏻♀️
— laura marris ✨ (@lauramarrisx) September 22, 2018
New Chucky looks like a Cabbage Patch Doll. pic.twitter.com/PIXWC6F8Hy
— Opinionated Reviews, Man! (@MyOpinionsMan) September 21, 2018
Faced with this cavalcade of negativity, Lars Klevberg, director of the remake, talked about his passion for the franchise with EW, saying:
“Child’s Play was, and is, one of my all-time horror movies and it was one of my introductions to horror. I got the script [for the remake] and it was really really good, and I knew it was from the producers from IT, and I jumped in immediately.”
When asked about the fact that the film had already been disowned by Chucky’s creator, he said:
“Everyone is a huge fan of Don Mancini. [If] he was making this movie with us it would be really amazing, but we understand he has his reasons. We are extremely grateful to him and will always be. He’s someone I look up to.”
And on the controversial new Chucky:
“Our Chucky will be our Chucky and he will be presented when the movie comes out. We haven’t cast that role yet.”
I don’t want to be a negative Nellie, but I’m far from convinced that there’s any point to this reboot of Child’s Play. Worst of all, it might put the brakes on Child’s Play on Elm Street, a long-rumored crossover film in which Freddy Krueger and Chucky have a contest to see who can kill the most teenagers before the sun comes up. With Robert Englund recently stepping back into the role for a cameo on The Goldbergs, it’s possible we could’ve seen him take up the part once more on the big screen.
Oh well, at least Chucky’s awesome cameo in Ready Player One did him justice.
