Sam Raimi to Helm Magic New Adaptation for Lionsgate

Horror icon Sam Raimi is officially stepping behind the camera for Lionsgate’s reimagining of Magic, the unsettling 1978 psychological horror classic centered around one of cinema’s creepiest ventriloquist dummies.

Raimi was previously announced as a producer on the project, but according to new reports, he’ll now direct the film as well. The reboot also reunites Raimi with writers Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, the duo behind Freddy vs. Jason and the upcoming thriller Send Help.

Producing alongside Raimi are Roy Lee, Chris Hammond, and Tim Sullivan, while Meredith Wieck and Pavan Kalidindi oversee the project for Lionsgate.

The original film starred Anthony Hopkins as Corky, a struggling magician whose career takes off thanks to his sharp-tongued ventriloquist dummy, Fats. But as Corky’s mental state begins to unravel, the line between performer and puppet becomes increasingly terrifyingly blurred.

Directed by Richard Attenborough and adapted by William Goldman from his own novel, Magic became a cult favorite thanks to its suffocating tension, psychological horror, and the nightmare-inducing design of Fats himself. The film’s infamous marketing campaign — featuring the tagline “Magic is fun… we’re dead” — helped cement the dummy as nightmare fuel for an entire generation.

Raimi feels like a natural fit for the material. His talent for balancing psychological unease with visceral horror could make this new version of Magic something truly sinister, especially following the intense character-driven tension seen in Send Help.

If you’ve never experienced the original, now’s the perfect time to meet Fats before Raimi unleashes his twisted new vision. Magic is currently streaming on platforms including Shudder and Screambox.