Quick Links
Summary
The Facultyofficially joins a long list of yesteryear horror classics getting the remake treatment, but it’s unlikely to work for more reasons than one. Back when it was released in 1998, the Robert Rodriguez film was arguably only a moderate hit but went on to gain its own cult fan base.
At the outset,The Facultyobviously looks like one of those films that doesn’t need a remake. The original film did a good job of blending sci-fi andhorrorand delivered something true to its era, even though it borrowed heavily from otheralien invasion or body snatcher films. Revisiting these themes today might feel refreshing, but it doesn’t have to be an exact imitation of the original. Miramax needs to tread carefully with this remake idea and potentially even trace back its steps.
IsThe FacultyGetting A Remake?
Miramax Brings Back The 1998 Sci-Fi Horror Classic
On July 29, 2025,Varietyconfirmedthat Miramax is moving forward with a remake ofThe Faculty. There’s not much information about who’s involved, except that the writer for the remake is Drew Hancock, andRobert Rodriguez, who directed the original 1998 sci-fi thriller, is returning as a producer. Hancock is notably a breakout talent who recently made his debut with theAI horror hitCompanion.
The Facultyrevolves around a group of students who begin suspecting that their school’s administrators and teachers are hiding a deadly secret. The teenagers soon discover that their high school faculty has fallen prey to an alien hive mind. At its heart, the film is a slasher but witha weird sci-fi twist. It marries its influences well, drawing from classics likeInvasion of the Body SnatchersandJohn Carpenter’sThe Thing.
A Cult Classic With A Cast Of Future Stars
Mixing Teen Horror With Sci-Fi Thrills
Featuring now-popularHollywood talents like Josh Hartnett, Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Elijah Wood, and even Usher, felt reminiscent of a John Hughes movie. Moreover, the film featured some solid celebrity names, including a pre-Daily ShowJon Stewart, Salma Hayek, and Robert Patrick. To top it off,The Facultywas written by Kevin Williamson, who was quickly gaining recognition for penning successful horror franchises likeScreamandI Know What You Did Last Summer.
With Robert Rodriguez directingThe Faculty, fresh offFrom Dusk Till Dawn’ssuccess, it had all the makings of a genre-defining box office success. Made on a modest $10 to $15 million budget at the time, it grossed a decent $63 million at the box office. But more importantly, it developed a strong following over the years, especially amonghorror and sci-fi fans.
The FacultyWorks Due To Its ’90s Vibe
A Remake Might Struggle To Capture The Same Magic
PerhapsThe Facultycould have left a bigger mark at the time of its release had it not been for the general feeling of saturation ofhorror franchises likeScream. Additionally, the film’s unusual hybrid of genres – mixing a slasher thriller with an alien parasite invasion set in a high school – may have contributed to its initial struggle to stand out. Regardless, it still holds a special place among its niche fan base, thanks to its ’90s-centric campy horror aesthetic and a superb soundtrack to complement it.
The Facultywasn’t particularly scary, but it compensated for the lack of tension or paranoia with some great special effects that still hold up today. While some CGI moments may have aged poorly, the practical effects, like the big monster and the alien-faced tentacles, still work remarkably well. Speaking of which, the film’s cult status relies heavily on its era-specific vibe. A potential remake might suffer the same fate asthe recent remake ofThe Crow,which didn’t work, simply because it’s not the ’90s anymore.
The FacultySequel Idea Is Better Than A Remake
Original Cast Reunion, New Alien Threat & More
A potential remake at this point would likely feel like a cash grab, simply switching around its high school characters tomake them feel “Gen Z”. Perhaps the film is better off with a sequel, which could offer much more potential. A new set of teenagers going through the same story would feel redundant unless they changed the setting. Instead, seeing the original cast years later, much older, would be more interesting, especially since most of the actors are still active.
A sequel could re-imagine the original cast, but this time as the teachers at Herrington High. The alien invasion may have affected them, placing them in the same position as their former teachers, while a new group of students tries to stop them.Elijah Wood’s Casey, who emerges a hero at the end of the original movie, could now be seen as a conspiracy theorist, struggling to convince the world of what really happened. There’s also the potential for another alien parasite to emerge, escalating the stakes beyond just a high school – perhaps to an entire town, state, or even the whole country.
Director Hinted At Follow-Up Over Remake
Robert Rodriguez & Fresh Talent Could Revive The Film
In fact, the remake idea may not even be concrete, considering the original director was more interested in a sequel. In 2023, while promotingHypnotic, Robert Rodriguez subtly hinted at a potential sequel toThe Facultyrather than a full-on remake. During aJake’s Takesinterview,theSpy Kidsdirectoranswered a question about whether the cast of the 1998 film could get back together in a story that unites them. Rodriguez replied positively:
It could be. I can’t tell you what we’re working on, but it could be.
Moreover, the horror genre has some great up-and-coming filmmakers right now who could bring something fresh to the table. Pairing Rodriguez’s expertise and Drew Hancock’s screenwriting talent with some prolific names in the industry could helpThe Facultyexpand its cult fan base even further.
The bottom line is thatThe Facultydared to take risks and blend genres, butit never became the multi-million-dollar franchise it was meant to be. Its ambition is worth celebrating, even if its gambles didn’t pay off right away. At a time when horror studios are prioritizing predictable and safe bets, skipping a remake in favor of a sequel that builds onThe Faculty’sstory and tone would be the smarter choice. Future updates on the film’s director, cast, and overall vision will hopefully shed more clarity on where it’s headed.
