Sony, Columbia, and Blumhouse’s star-studded reimagining of Fantasy Island has officially been rated PG-13 for “violence, terror, drug content, suggestive material, and brief strong language.”
The horror pic, itself billed as a darker reinvention of the classic TV show, stars Michael Rooker, Charlotte McKinney, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Austin Stowell and Lucy Hale, the latter of whom reunites with Truth and Dare director Jeff Wadlow.
But Wadlow’s latest is more concerned with dumping its lead stars into a Fyre Festival-like scenario, one which soon devolves into a waking nightmare. So when the Enigmatic Mr. Roarke (played here by Michael Peña) extends an invitation to Fantasy Island, perhaps it’s best to politely decline…
However, this being a Blumhouse-produced horror joint, it isn’t long before Lucy Hale et al. are caught up in a whirlwind of mystery and genuine terror, and the above trailer is a testimony to the surprises in store. Speaking of which, news of a PG-13 rating, while slightly disappointing, shouldn’t be all that surprising, given how Sony is no doubt targeting the Valentine’s Day date crowd with Fantasy Island.
Sure, horror fans will always wonder ‘what if?’ with regards to Fantasy Island‘s official rating, as a hard-R version of Jeff Wadlow’s thriller would surely contain nine kinds of crazy. But 2018’s Venom movie is living proof that a PG-13 film can still pack a punch when it comes to thrills and spills, and the MPAA rating is in no way an indication of actual quality.
With all that said, here’s a reminder of the Fantasy Island synopsis:
The Enigmatic Mr. Roarke (played by Michael Peña) makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island’s mystery in order to escape with their lives.
Cancel those Valentine’s Day plans; Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island is booked in for a February 14th premiere.
