Summary
Though he began as a writer,Leigh Whannellhas risen through the ranks as a horror director over the years with films such as his takes onThe Invisible ManandWolf Man. His style is different from what fans of Universal Monsters expected, but he is regarded as someone who understands modern horror.
As a result of his fame and talent, some fans are curious as to what Leigh Whannell will do next afterWolf Man. If he continues to bring back monster movies of the past, there are many to choose from, both in and outside the lexicon of Universal Monsters, with some practically begging for a chance to be rebooted in the modern age.
Cast
Pumpkinheadwas directed by special effects legend Stan Winston and became a cult gem of a monster movie. Leigh Whannell’s horror movies focus on the emotional side of characters and that is whatPumpkinheadis centered around, with the titular creature rising to kill those who wronged a man by accidentally causing his son’s death.
The concept ofPumpkinheadis malleable enough that it doesn’t need to be a direct retelling of the same story,but potentially a better sequelthan what came before. Leigh Whannell could create a new person to agree to the supernatural deal that causes the demonic entity to rise and start slaughtering people. It could be like Nia DaCosta’sCandyman, a reboot and a sequel to the original film.
The 1988 movie about a gelatinous organism consuming anything living in its path, gradually getting bigger and bigger was already a remake of a 1950s film. A reboot ofThe Blobby Leigh Whannell has the chance to do something different with the idea, from showing the story from the monster’s point of view to swapping to a more secluded setting.
The Blobcould be shown slowly taking over a house or a facility with a smaller cast of characters trying to avoid the Blob as it creeps and leaps. Claustrophobia would play a large factor, similar to thehorror seen with the Xenomorphin theAlienfranchise. It’s also worth mentioning that the gore and body horror aspect would still be prevalent given what Leigh Whannell did withSawandWolf Man.
Since Leigh Whannel rebooted the Wolf Man that Lon Chaney Jr. originally portrayed, he could also adapt the first Universal Monster movie starring Lon Chaney Sr. to the modern day:The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. Quasimodo is a tragic character who wants to love a woman but is treated like a monster for simply being born differently from others.
Victor Hugo’sThe Hunchback Of Notre Damesuits Leigh Whannell’s pastwith theSawfranchise, focusing on a villain who lashes out against society. However, where Jigsaw is a more heartless killer, the Hunchback is, at its roots, a tragedy and that could be used to craft a character that audiences both hate and love.
5Tarantula
A Movie That Would Be Every Arachnophobe’s Worst Nightmare
Tension and suspense can go a long way in crafting a horror movie, even when the concept is bizarre and outlandish on paper. For example,Tarantula, a giant spider going on a rampage thanks to radiation sounds like something out of a comic book, but Universal Pictures delivered a movie that terrified audiences thanks to the slow build-up to when the monster attacks.
With modern technology,Tarantulahas the potential to make a giant furry spider horrifying. With Leigh Whannell, he could deliver sequences of the tarantula stalking the protagonists from the darkness, creating more suspense in the same vein asJaws. As a result, any viewer with arachnophobia might be encouraged to stay home.
4The Invisible Woman
The First Movie Left The Door Wide Open For A Sequel
Not every good horror movie needs a sequel, but Leigh Whannell’sThe Invisible Manended with the protagonist, Cecelia, becomingThe Invisible Womanto murder the titular villain, Adrian Griffin. That opens up the possibilities of her trauma, with Griffin being the beginning of a cycle, with her becoming so obsessed with being free that she becomes just as much of a killer as he was.
The Invisible Womanwas one of the lesser-known sequels toThe Invisible Manback in the 1930s. If Leigh Whannell can deliver on threeSawmovies, multipleInsidiousmovies, and more than one Universal monster, nothing is stopping him from a sequel to The Invisible Man. It can still be a slower burn like the first, with more of a perspective on an invisible killer this time.
Arguably the most overused Universal Monster isDracula, but that is a testament to how strong of a property Bram Stoker created and the film legacy that more or less started with Bela Lugosi. Vampires in general have seen a resurgence with movies such asRenfield,Abigail,Nosferatu, andThe Last Voyage Of The Demeter, which also happen to be adaptations ofDracula.
Leigh Whannell has started a trend of Universal Monsters being adapted more realistically. Considering how manytimesDraculahas been rebootedand in various styles, a grounded angle focusing on a more beast-like vampire would be another way to keep the story fresh.
Of all the various Universal Monster movies,The Creature From The Black Lagoonhas strangely been one of the very fewto never get a remake or reboot. Yet, the Gillman remains an iconic monster with his face on posters, merchandise, and nearly everything involving the Universal Monsters franchise.
Considering how much special effects have advanced, a modern retelling ofThe Creature From The Black Lagooncould maintain what made the original so terrifying while adding more brutality and gore to the monster’s rampage. Movies such asHellboyandThe Shape Of Waterprove that the concept can be done and done well.
Leigh Whannell’s take on Universal Monsters focuses on the emotionaland psychological horror of the concept. There is no better monster suited for that style of storytelling than the enigmaticDr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, mixing the horrors of Dr. Jekyll struggles to keep control of his body while his darker persona, Edward Hyde, becomes a twisted serial killer.
The concept of Jekyll and Hyde can be used in various ways. If Leigh Whannell wants to show off an actor’s talents by having them portray two personalities, focusing on a form of dissociative identity disorder akin toSplit, that is viable. However, Whannell could also effectively portray a psychological and physical transformation like the original Universal movie with special effects as he did withWolf Man.
