If you required more proof of Hollywood being a strange place, one need not look any further than the confusion surrounding the Child’s Play franchise.
Seeing as how last year’s Cult of Chucky is still very much fresh in our memories – a film that I really dug, mind you – it’s quite surprising to see the brand branching into so many directions. I mean, it made sense for creator Don Mancini and company to continue the enduring saga as a TV series, but it’s the even more recent news that’s left me scratching my head.
You see, while Universal is free to pursue the TV show and more movie sequels of their own, MGM is committing to a reboot of the franchise, which, according to Bloody Disgusting, will have no involvement from Brad Dourif. If that name doesn’t sound familiar to you, then you need to do your homework, because he’s voiced Chucky from the very beginning.
Granted, it’s expected that actors pass the torch at some point, but Chucky isn’t Batman or James Bond. To this point, only one actor has inhabited the role – and that’s been Dourif. As such, it may be hard for fans to swallow the notion of someone else lending their pipes to the horror icon.
What’s more is that MGM will be changing Chucky in such an intrinsic sense, for he’s no longer a serial killer assuming the body of a doll by magical means. No, he’s now going to be – get this – an out of control A.I.
Now, it’s too early to assume that the Child’s Play reboot will flop, but it may be safe to say that longtime lovers of the series will favor the original timeline intact over at Universal – especially if it still has the lead actor and creator on board.
