The most shocking part of this story: that no one remade “The Howling” before this.
Upstart production company Emaji Entertainment has announced that they're “rebooting” Joe Dante's 1981 werewolf classic “as the first in a series of films based upon well known film properties,” which is exactly what we need more of. The original film starred the incomparable Dee Wallace as a TV news anchorwoman who is sent to a retreat after a near-fatal encounter with a serial killer and begins to suspect that the residents there may not be what they seem. Spoiler alert: they're hairier than they first appear.
The film is notable for being released at a high point for werewolf movies, as John Landis's “An American Werewolf in London” was put out the same year. Both featured groundbreaking transformation sequences — a 21-year-old Rob Bottin was responsible for the grisly third-act transformation in “The Howling,” while Rick Baker won an Oscar for his work in the former.
In addition to “The Howling,” Emaji is mounting a reboot of (sequel to?) “StrangeLand,” the cult 1998 horror film written and produced by Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider. Snider starred in the original as a body modification-obsessed serial killer named Captain Howdy who used online chat rooms to lure his victims. The soundtrack featured songs by System of a Down, Sevendust, Soulfly, Slipknot, Kid Rock, Coal Chamber, Twisted Sister, Megadeth, Marilyn Manson, and Pantera.
“Music was intrinsic to me in the first one. We really tried to create the ultimate heavy soundtrack. Music will be important to me again for this film,” said Snider, who will again be involved, in a statement. Relive the horrifying days of dial-up internet with the film's trailer below.