Universal Pictures’ Classic Monsters shared universe is set to get underway this June with the release of The Mummy, and now it looks like the studio is stepping up development on another instalment, tapping Aquaman screenwriter Will Beall to pen Creature from the Black Lagoon.
The remake of the 1954 classic has been in development for several years at the studio, with The Hunger Games director Gary Ross (son of the original’s co-writer Arthur A. Ross) attached at one point, and previous rumours suggesting that Universal was courting Scarlett Johansson for the female lead. The last we heard about the project was back in August 2015, when Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) came on board to pen a new draft of the screenplay.
The original Creature from the Black Lagoon followed a group of scientists on an expedition to the Amazon, who discover the titular creature – a.k.a. Gill-Man – an amphibious humanoid who takes a liking to the team’s only female member, played by Julie Adams.