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Could John Krasinski say 'I do' to directing a Bride of Frankenstein movie?
Universal's "Dark Universe" of shared horror movies is deader than the body parts that make up Frankenstein's Monster, but the studio's commitment to producing new creature features is still alive and well. Leigh Whannell's Invisible Man is just a few weeks away from release, Paul Feig plans to mash up iconic beasties in Dark Army, and John Krasinski could very well direct a Bride of Frankenstein movie.
According to a new report from Variety, the Quiet Place writer/director spent some of his 2019 "quietly exploring ways to reimagine the skunk-haired creature for the cineplex ... [tinkering] with an iteration of Bride and other Universal characters."
Former Sony chief Amy Pascal, who has an overall production deal at Universal, has also been looking into how Bride of Frankenstein can get off the ground in some way.
“Amy expressed interest in being involved with The Bride of Frankenstein, and just as the studio has done with numerous other filmmakers, we empowered her to explore a new vision for the Universal monster character and come back with a new and inventive take,” a studio source anonymously told Variety. “Nothing has been solidified in an official capacity.”
Angelina Jolie, who was slated to play the titular character in the Bill Condon/Javier Bardem days, "remains committed to the character as long as the right creative team comes along with it," said certain Variety insiders. Another source offered a conflicting view of the matter, claiming that Jolie "was ready to move on from the character and pursue other projects."
Pascal reportedly wants Sam Raimi to direct, but with Raimi in talks to direct Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, this sounds like another dead end for Bride.
However, Pascal is said to have "engaged" David Koepp, although it's unclear whether she wants him to write, direct, or both. The seasoned screenwriter of Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones helped devise the original pitch for Bride when it was still part of the Dark Universe, previously describing the story as "a liberation tale, about a female monster created for companionship who has quite the opposite in mind." As such, he'd make a pretty good directing choice.
Right now, Krasinski is putting the final touches on A Quiet Place II, which opens in theaters Friday, March 20. He has yet to announce his next directing gig, but his sharp-witted horror instincts would definitely serve him well if he decides to play in the monstrous Universal sandbox.
Aside from The Invisible Man (out Friday, Feb. 28) and Dark Army, the studio is also developing The Invisible Woman with Elizabeth Banks and Monster Mash with Matt Stawski.
The original Bride of Frankenstein movie from 1935 was the first follow-up to 1931's Frankenstein. In that film, Elsa Lanchester played the eponymous mate created for Boris Karloff's hulking monster.
