Edgar Wright turned down the American Werewolf in London remake

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

It's been a while since we heard an update on the remake of director John Landis's 1981 classic AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, which is expected to be written and directed by Landis's son Max, screenwriter of such films as CHRONICLE and VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN. Max Landis completed the first draft of the remake script last December, and then things have been very quiet over the last eleven months.

While we wait to see what's going to happen with the younger Landis's take on the concept, Edgar Wright has revealed that he was once offered the chance to direct the remake and turned it down. According to Discussing Film, Wright mentioned during a Q&A following a screening of his film SHAUN OF THE DEAD that 

he believes AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON is a “desert island movie” and he wouldn’t want to see it be remade and therefore turned down the project.

Slash Film contacted Wright to ask him about this, and the filmmaker confirmed, 

It was years ago. Way before Max came onboard. There was no script, just the idea of doing it. John, whom I love, asked me and I said it’s a perfect movie as far as I’m concerned, and I have nothing to add to it."

It's interesting to hear that John Landis wanted Wright to direct the remake, while he has been telling his son not to do it because it's "putting himself in a bad position". His fatherly concern is understandable, as is the fact that he wanted to see Wright take the helm of the remake. I imagine an Edgar Wright version of AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON could have been a lot of fun.