Written by Cal Kemp

Earlier today I attended the press day for the upcoming Universal animated film “The Tale of Despereaux” and managed to get an update on the remake of “The Creature from the Black Lagoon.”

It seems that the movie is still not greenlit yet, but producer/screenwriter Gary Ross hopes to have it going sometime next year. He also said that it’s not going to be campy and that they still haven’t decided if the creature will be live action or it’ll be CGI.

Since the movie still doesn’t have a director yet, lots of details still have to be worked out. But with all the remakes being done in Hollywood, I think this is one of the few that could actually work.

Here’s what Gary said after the press conference ended. But before reading, I want to make it clear that I didn’t ask all of these questions…there were other online reporters and I want to give credit to George from Latino Review for starting the conversation.

Q: What’s going on with Creature from the Black Lagoon?

Gary Ross: I’m producing it. We’re actually moving forward.

Q: What’s the tone of it going to be?

Gary: It’s not going to be campy. It’s not a reference to what the original was. It’s not reverential that way.  We take it seriously. We found some scientific underpinnings for it which my dad actually found in the original. He based it on a lungfish he found around that time, a lot of that was his. We’re not approaching it in a campy, retro sort of way.

Q: Is it going to be based on the original and the sequels?

Gary: Well it’s certainly going to be based on the original; my dad’s favorite was The Creature Walks Among Us and that was the last one which my dad also wrote. My dad actually died two weeks ago. We’re going to be faithful to it.

Q: Does it have a director yet?

Gary: That hasn’t been decided yet.

Q: Will the creature be live or CGI?

Gary: Well those are decisions that will always be made during prep. The movie is not greenlit – let me say that. But we hope to be making it sometime next year….

Q: Is going to go for scares though?

Gary: Oh yeah. I don’t think we’re going to wink at the audience or make it silly in anyway, I think we’re going to take it seriously.