It looks like Chucky is heading back to the big screen, as Collider is reporting that MGM has set Lars Klevberg (Polaroid) to direct a “contemporary reboot” of the Child’s Play franchise, which is slated to begin production this September.
The new take on the horror series will reportedly follow “a group of kids (a la Stranger Things), and a technologically-advanced doll that enters their world.” It has been scripted by Tyler Burton Smith (Kung Fury) and is being produced by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith (It).
Bloody Disgusting adds that series creator Don Mancini, producer David Kirschner and actor Brad Dourif (the voice of Chucky in all seven films) will not be involved with the reboot, but are instead focusing on the recently announced TV series as well as continuing the original film franchise with Universal Pictures.
It seems a rather odd situation, as we could potentially have two Child’s Play series running concurrently, one through Universal Pictures, and the other through MGM.
The Child’s Play franchise launched in 1988 and revolves around Chucky, a ‘Good Guy’ children’s doll who houses the soul of the notorious serial killer Charles Lee Ray (Dourif). It was followed by the sequels Child’s Play 2 in 1990, Child’s Play 3 in 1991, Bride of Chucky in 1998, Seed of Chucky in 2004, Curse of Chucky in 2013 and Cult of Chucky in 2017.