The one constant through every Chucky movie, from Child’s Play to 2017’s Cult of Chucky, is Don Mancini. (Also, Chucky, but duh.) So, it takes a minute to process the fact that the creator, writer, and occasional director has no involvement with Child’s Play, a “reimagining” of the 1988 original starring Gabriel Bateman, Aubrey Plaza (as a concerned mom, which is just weird), Brian Tyree Henry, and one mischievous, knife-wielding redheaded doll.
“Obviously my feelings were hurt,” Mancini said about the new Child’s Play. “You know, I had just done two movies… forgive me if I sound defensive, [they] were both at 83 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Even though they didn’t get theatrical releases, they were well regarded. And I did create the character and nurture the franchise for three fucking decades.” Instead, the remake was overseen by writer Tyler Burton Smith and Norwegian director Lars Klevberg.
Chucky isn’t throwing out one-liners in the trailer above (“What would Martha Stewart say?”), but it still has a playful tone set to “Best Friend” by Harry Nilsson (who, between this and Russian Doll, is having quite the year). And although you never see the doll, he looks quite different than in Mancini’s films.
Never trust a doll with dead eyes. Anyway, Child’s Play comes out June 21, the same day as Toy Story 4, which is excellent counter-programming.
