Demon of Vengeance Pumpkinhead is a cinematic creature that I always felt deserved a bigger and better franchise than it got. Created by special effects wizard Stan Winston for his 1988 feature directorial debut PUMPKINHEAD, the demon returned in a trio of direct-to-video and Syfy premiere sequels, all of which I enjoy to some degree, but Pumpkinhead had a greater potential than it ever reached.
Peter Block, executive producer of the SAW franchise, sees that potential. He has acquired the rights to the Pumpkinhead franchise and is currently developing a reboot that is intended to be a theatrical release, with filming expected to begin in 2017.
Writer Nate Atkins is working on the screenplay, crafting a story that Block says won't be a direct remake but will have a lot in common with the original film. "There is a similarity of theme and a similarity of story. There's a lot of Easter eggs for people who know the original — iconic shots and iconic lines that we’re going to use. But we've enhanced the setting, and we’ve expanded the characters somewhat, to give it a different kind of experience."
The story of the original PUMPKINHEAD:
After a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.
The search for a director will soon commence, with Block looking for a filmmaker who has an appreciation for the horror genre, knows what made the first movie work, and will be able to deliver a fun, scary thrill ride while also delving into the question "Is the revenge you seek worse than whatever befell you in the first place?"
Block promises that they'll be using practical effects as much as possible on the reboot, and that there will be a great, recognizable iteration of the Pumpkinhead creature on display in the film that will receive a nice, slow reveal. As he says, "lots of scares and lots of action in the beginning, and a great creature in the end".
Sounds like a formula for success to me. I'll be glad to see Pumpkinhead back in action, and back where this monster belongs: on the big screen.
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