Darkman and the 1990 Cult Reboot – Sam Raimi Speaks
It was the director's debut in a major Hollywood production, handled by Universal
The reboot project of the cult classic directed by Sam Raimi in 1990 has started moving again, this time under the aegis of Ghost House Pictures, the production company founded by Raimi himself. According to Dread Central, Brian Netto and Adam Schindler, directors of the Netflix thriller Don’t Move, have been chosen to direct the new film.
The two are not random names: they have already collaborated with Raimi on both 50 States of Fright and Don’t Move, establishing a long-standing creative relationship. Both have repeatedly stated that Darkman represents their dream project, a character for whom they harbor true cinephile devotion.
Raimi's First Work for a Major Studio
Raimi himself indirectly confirmed the status of the work, explaining that a script and a solid creative team already exist, although the film is still stalled by funding issues, an obstacle far from rare in contemporary cinema.
Released in 1990, Darkman marked Raimi's debut in a major Studio and one of his first forays into the world of "superheroes," albeit far removed from Marvel and DC standards. With Liam Neeson as the disfigured scientist Peyton Westlake, the film blended horror, melodrama, and pulp comics.
It was not a great commercial success, but over time it became a cult classic, spawning a modest sequel as well as comics and video games. More than thirty years later, Darkman's return could attract an audience looking for darker, more tragic, and viscerally human anti-heroes.