In March came the news that filmmakers Joe Dante and Roger Corman were teaming for “Little Shop of Halloween Horrors,” a ‘spiritual successor’ to the latter’s famed 1960 horror comedy. Now, reports that despite the relatively recent passing away of Corman, the project is still a go with filming on track for a September start. They add the budget has been set, a cast is being assembled, and remaining producers Brad Krevoy and Charles Cohen have stepped up their involvement.
The original followed a florist who discovered a strange plant with a craving for human flesh. As the plant grows, he must feed it victims to keep it satisfied, leading to a series of darkly comedic and increasingly twisted events. The property became more famous two decades later as an 1982 off-Broadway stage musical adaptation which became the beloved 1986 Frank Oz-directed film starring Rick Moranis and Steve Martin – snagging Oscars for visual effects and original song.
“Gremlins” director Dante and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” writer Charles S. Haas serve in those capacities here for a film expected to be more in line with the darker genre style of the original rather than the musical..
