Looks like the shared cinematic universe model is permeating every level of movie-making from big budget studio franchises to B-movie reboots. Cinedigm has announced plans to remake 10 cult classic films from American International Pictures, the studio best known for producing the films of Roger Corman through the 1950s and beyond. Variety reports that this new project will come from producers Lou Arkoff, SNAKES ON A PLANES' Jeff Katz and Hal Sadoff.
Katz wrote all ten films which are based on the movies GIRLS IN PRISON, REFORM SCHOOL GIRL, SHE-CREATURE, TEENAGE CAVEMAN, THE BRAIN EATERS, THE COOL AND THE CRAZY, THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED, THE UNDEAD, VIKING WOMEN AND THE SEA SERPENT, and WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST. All ten films will be shot back to back with Cinedigm handling the theatrical and on demand release of the movies. Katz said cast and crew will be announced shortly but shared how they will be connected.
“Each movie in this series has a complete beginning, middle and end, yet watched over all 10 films we’re really telling one larger, epic story,” he added. “These are very much, at heart, indie comic book movies. Unpretentious. R-Rated. It’s fantastic to have a distribution model that fits that sensibility.”
It is hard to tell at this point how this is actually going to work and whether these films will be low budget projects along the lines of the original B-movies or something slightly more expensive, like SNAKES ON A PLANE. I would venture to guess these are not going to be wide releases but likely something you will pick up at Redbox or stream at home. Either way, it is an intriguing idea even if it doesn't sound like it could possibly make much sense. I mean, how can zombies, Vikings, and cavemen coexist? I guess we will find out when these films get released.
