Repeat Business: 30 Horror Film Franchises Getting A Restart

20. Van Helsing

If you enjoyed Universal’s Van Helsing back in 2004, then you’re probably the only one. The film had rich source material to draw inspiration from in its titular hero, Abraham Van Helsing. The original vampire slayer from Bram Stoker’s Dracula was pitted against a back catalogue of monsters but still managed to become a string of set pieces tied together with help from Hugh Jackman’s shiny hair extensions.

Snow White and the Huntsmen’s Rupert Sanders is rumoured for directing duties on a reboot with Tom Cruise set to star as Helsing. Both have upcoming commitments though, in the shape of a Huntsmen sequel for Sanders and three sci-fi pictures for Cruise.

What is the most reviving chunk of news for the reboot comes from the project’s producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, scribes responsible for Star Trek and Transformers, who’ve got the notion to root Van Helsing in a darker universe. Back in May 2012, Kurtzman cited The Dark Knight as inspiration for a film that could be “really grounded in reality…that’s what I’d like to do without sacrificing the fantasy element.”

A gritty Van Helsing channelling the harsh reality of batboy? Sounds smashing, we’ll have half a dozen.

19. Bates Motel

Alfred Hitchcock ‘s Psycho has already been butchered on the small screen as a made-for-TV movie starring Bud Cort, Lori Petty and a young Jason Bateman. Don’t remember it? It matters not, as this version of Bates Motel functions as a prequel to the events depicted in Psycho.

Freddie Highmore is to play Momma’s boy Norman Bates, with Vera Farmiga as his interfering mother, Kathy Bates. Just kidding. Norman’s mother’s name is Norma.

A joint effort by A&E and Universal, this time Carlton Cuse of Lost and Kerry Ehrin of Friday Night Lights have picked up the project which so far has been confirmed for a 10-episode run which will apparently be set in modern times. The rest of the Bates family are along this time too, including Norman’s brother and his father, who are both presumably also called Norman.

With Cuse at the helm and the faint scent of the pine forests of Twin Peaks lingering in the pre-release teasers – there’s definite hints that this series could attract the attention of Lost fans. And the casting of Nestor Carbonell as the Sheriff, who previously creeped it up as Richard Alpert in Cuse’s island sci-fi romp is the icing on the cake.

The show premieres March 18th on A&E.

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