The return of The Munsters has been Rob Zombie’s passion, and the director known for his penchant for gritty horror (see: his Halloween) confirms that his big-screen take on the classic TV series is nothing short of a love letter to the original. Now, I’m not sure why a lot of people assumed based off his body of work he’d make a controversial version of the beloved monster family but the most shocking thing is that he’s making it in colour.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zombie shared he thought that if it wasn’t in colour, we wouldn’t be getting the film at all. “I made the colours sort of hyper-real. I noticed when the actors were in their makeup and they were just walking around, getting lunch or whatever, they looked like cartoon characters come to life,” he said. “They were just so insanely colourful. I was like, I have to light the movie in the same fashion. It really seemed at all times like a live action cartoon, which was really exciting.”
Today’s new teaser reveals (in black-and-white first, before switching to that lurid colour) Zombie’s long-time collaborator and wife Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily Munster, Daniel Phillips as Herman Munster, and Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa.
The trio are introduced in what’s essentially a shot for shot remake of The Munsters’ opening credits, complete with the TV show theme. And that’s intentional, “Yeah, it’s 100 per cent in the spirit of the show,” Zombie shared. “I didn’t want it to be different. I wanted to totally retain the vibe that it had in the ‘60s.”
Now, I know Zombie’s real jazzed about honouring the IP but I can’t wait to see some different choices. It’s clear he loves the property but as a fan of his particular brand of Halloween-soaked spooky panache and humour — which I think he can handle in PG without the guardrails of sticking to the OG — I can’t wait to see more of that come through a bit more. And I can’t wait to see Sheri Moon Zombie’s effervescent comedic timing, evidenced by her portrayal of Baby in House of 1000 Corpses and its related films, in less sharper scenarios. For those who think at any point Zombie is going to pull a shocking turn in the Dragula toward hyper-violence, at this point just look at the man’s social media. He is a big ol’ fanboy and posting the purest content about getting to play with his favourite characters.
Rob Zombie’s Munsters, which also stars Jorge Garcia, Richard Brake, Catherine Schell, Sylvester McCoy, and Cassandra “Elvira” Peterson, arrives this fall.
Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.