James Wan’s ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ Movie Finds a Writer

In addition to Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, and Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man, another iconic horror monster is making a comeback: James Wan’s Creature from the Black Lagoon. This project is being developed by Atomic Monster and Universal Pictures, and it has just secured a writer, as reported by Deadline.

Sean Tretta, known for Mayans M.C. and Star Trek: Picard, will pen the script. According to Deadline, the screenplay is based on a treatment by James Wan, Rafael Jordan, and Bryan Coyne.

Deadline also notes that Wan is in early discussions to potentially direct a modernized retelling that emphasizes visceral horror while honoring the original classic.

Unlike other Universal Monsters like Frankenstein, Wolf Man, and Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon hasn’t seen numerous remakes over the years, making it an exciting candidate for revival. Although Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning The Shape of Water drew inspiration from the classic tale, it was not an official adaptation.

The original Creature from the Black Lagoon, directed by Jack Arnold, premiered in 1954, two decades after Universal established itself as a horror powerhouse in the 1930s. This film spawned sequels such as Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956), but several planned remakes over the years have never materialized.

Notable filmmakers who have been attached to or considered for various unmade Creature projects include John Carpenter, Peter Jackson, Ivan Reitman, and Breck Eisner.

Interestingly, James Wan previously intended to direct a horror spinoff titled The Trench for Aquaman, but that project ultimately fell through. Now, it seems that his Creature from the Black Lagoon film will allow him to explore his passion for aquatic horror.