FX Resurrects Frankenstein: Taika Waititi to Lead Series

More than fifty years after the release of Young Frankenstein, the wild imagination created by Mel Brooks is set to return to the screen with a new series from FX. The project is titled Very Young Frankenstein and will not be a simple remake: the production aims to expand the universe of the original film through a story set before the events of the 1974 cult classic.

Taika Waititi will lead the pilot, a name now synonymous with contemporary surreal comedy thanks to productions like What We Do in the Shadows. Joining him are Stefani Robinson on writing and a cast that includes Zach Galifianakis, Kumail Nanjiani, Cary Elwes, and Dolly Wells.

A Risky Yet Intriguing Return

The endeavor remains delicate, because Young Frankenstein is considered one of the highest points of American cinematic comedy. The film starring Gene Wilder managed to parody Universal horror classics without ever betraying their gothic charm, transforming laboratories, monsters, and castles into an explosion of memorable gags.

However, the direct involvement of Mel Brooks as executive producer completely changes the perception of the project. FX seems to want to avoid the classic nostalgia operation, instead seeking to recapture the anarchic and theatrical spirit that made the original immortal.