For the last few months 20th Century Fox has quickly been developing a new Frankenstein project, and now Deadline reports that they want Real Steel filmmaker Shawn Levy to direct it.
Max Landis wrote the script for Frankenstein, which Fox hopes to get into production ahead of the several other Frankenstein projects at other studios. Nothing is set in stone yet, since there are several other projects the director is interested in. Last week we reported that Levy was thinking about leaving Fox’s remake of the Fantastic Voyage if casting issue couldn’t be addressed quickly, but it appears the studio is now trying to keep him on Voyage while the film’s development issues are sorted by giving him something to make in the meantime.
Landis’ script is described as an original thriller take on Mary Shelley’s tale, which doesn’t quite seem to fit with Levy’s track record, which has been in family fun, such as Cheaper By The Dozen and the Night At The Museum movies.
However there’s plenty of competition in the Frankenstein arena, as Guillermo del Toro is also developing a project based on the book, 1019 Pictures has a modern Frankenstein project in development from writer Dean R. Koontz, and Sony is also working on a Frankenstein of their own. That’s not to mention the teen Dr. Frankenstein prequel Summit is planning, called This Dark Endeavor, which Matt Reeves is attached to direct, and a couple other films and a TV series that are being put together based on the classic novel. Since all of these projects are in various stages of development, it isn’t clear which movie will hit cinemas first. And if you’re wondering why Hollywood has gone crazy for the tale, interest was apparently ignited by Danny Boyle’s successful stage production.