Here’s an Idea: Let’s Never Ever Remake Possession

Yes, io9 used a very similar headline back in 2017 regarding a remake of The Crow—and Hollywood clearly did not listen; that long-in-the-works project is arriving in theaters this August. How The Crow do-over fares is yet to be seen (maybe Bill Skarsgård’s Joker look will work magic?), but we must insist, yet again, that another much-loved genre classic be left the hell alone, no matter how much we enjoy the involved talent.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Andrzej Zulawski’s singularly unsettling 1981 film Possession is chugging down the remake track with writer-director Parker Finn (Smile) and producer Robert Pattinson—an obvious choice to also star, though THR notes “his acting involvement will be clarified down the road as the script and schedules develop.” The original film stars Sam Neill and Isabelle Adjani as a couple living in West Berlin whose marriage fractures amid surreal, supernatural circumstances. It’s haunting, and has since become a cult classic.

The trade also reports that multiple studios are currently battling over who will, uh, get possession of Possession, including “A24, Netflix, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros,” and that “other companies may enter the fray.” Also of note: “the reception to the pitches has been extremely positive, with execs talking about the ‘batshit’ and ‘out there’ story but also its strong commercial potential. How to market the eventual movie is also part of the conversations.”

What do you think about remaking Possession—and for that matter, are you counting down to The Crow?

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