The “Child’s Play” franchise holds a weird spot in pop culture history; its main character, Chucky, is considered to be a slasher icon on par with Jason Voorhees from “Friday the Thirteenth,” Freddy Krueger from “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and Michael Myers from “Halloween,” but the brand surrounding the character has ultimately been far more influential than the films themselves (most people probably couldn’t tell you that the original name of the 1988 film is “Child’s Play”).
That’s why it’s a smart move that director Lars Klevberg, of the film “Polaroid,” and writer Tyler Burton Smith have decided to update Chucky for their upcoming reboot of the killer toy franchise, still titled “Child’s Play,” breathing new life into the iconically murderous doll who is sure to be to give a whole new generation nightmares for years to come.
Seth Grahame-Smith, the author behind “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” and the producer of last year’s smash “It: Chapter One” (and its upcoming sequel), reflected on the franchise’s horror merits to EW:
“I was just 12-year-old when the ’88 movie came out. It scared the hell out of me. I watched it again and again. It’s a special movie for me.”
“It’s going to be scary, and it’s going to be surprisingly emotional, and we also want it to be fun,” adds Klevberg. “So, it’s a really good mix.”
The film has pulled together a surprisingly strong cast, with Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry, Beatrice Kitsos, Carlease Burke, Gabriel Bateman, and Ty Consiglio. Mark Hamill is filling Brad Dourif’s toy-sized shoes in the role of Chucky, and if the trailer is any indication, he’ll be just as scary as always.
“Child’s Play” arrives in theaters on June 21. You can watch the trailer below.