Paul Feig has confirmed he is working on a new monster movie for Universal.
The 57-year-old director will be making the project, titled ‘Dark Army’, for Universal Studios’ ‘Dark Universe’ collection of films which was kick-started by 2017’s ‘The Mummy’.
Paul cannot wait to get started on the horror which he has teased will be similar in style to Universal’s classic creature features from the past.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz at the UK premiere of his latest film ‘Last Christmas’ in London on Monday night (11.11.19), he said: "I’m writing this monster movie for Universal Studios that I hope will be the next thing I make. It’s going to be fun and scary but just like the old ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Dracula’ movies."
Paul has directed a variety of films, from ‘Bridesmaids’ to ‘Ghostbusters’, and admits that he is proud that he is "racking up" the genres.
He said: "I’m stacking up the genres. What’s next, musicals?"
Paul’s festive rom-com ‘Last Christmas’, stars Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding and is inspired by the Wham! hit of the same name.
Paul admitted he wasn’t keen on the film at first, because he had already made a Christmas movie, but was convinced to helm the project by Emma Thompson’s script, which he simply loved.
He explained: "It was Emma Thompson’s script. I wasn’t really looking to do a Christmas movie because I did one 13 years ago with ‘Unaccompanied Minors’. The message was so positive and shooting in London was too good to turn down."
Paul’s ‘Dark Army’ film will be the latest in a long line of horror movies released by Universal.
The studio made its name with the Universal Monster movies which began in the 1920s with Lon Chaney’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.
The fright fests continued to be popular with audiences for the next three decades with ‘Dracula’, ‘Frankenstein’, ‘The Mummy’, ‘The Wolf Man’ and ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ all being major hits whilst making household names of Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr. and Boris Karloff.
The ‘Dark Universe’ was due to continue with a ‘Bride of Frankenstein’ remake with Angelina Jolie in the title role but that project was put on hold after Alex Kurtzman – who helmed and co-wrote the Tom Cruise led reboot of ‘The Mummy’, which was the starting point for the connected series of movies – and co-producer Chris Morgan stepped away from the entire multiverse.
Leigh Whannell’s ‘The Invisible Man’, which stars Elisabeth Moss and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, is now the next film in the series and it will hit cinemas in February 2020.
Paul Feig confirms Universal horror project
