Back in June, Rob Zombie confirmed rumors that he will be directing The Munsters film reboot. Sharing the news on Instagram, he wrote, “My next film will be the one I’ve been chasing for 20 years! … Stay tuned for exciting details as things progress.” Since then, Zombie has been true to his word, posting pictures of Munster-related things as they happen in between his usual tour content. For those that don’t follow Zombie (or simply can’t keep up!) here’s a quick summary of what to expect from the upcoming film.
Zombie’s The Munsters is a reboot of the popular TV Series of the same name. The Munsters was an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1964-1966; similar to the Addams Family — which ran concurrently but failed to achieve as much immediate success — the series focuses on an American family of harmless monsters. Members include dad, Herman, who is a carbon copy of Frankenstein’s monster; mom, Lily, and her dad, “Grandpa,” who are both vampires; werewolf son, Eddie; and ordinary niece, Marilyn — ironically, the odd Munster. The family-friendly series casts a satirical gaze on the suburban lifestyle whilst, evidently, drawing on traditional monster movies for inspiration. It consisted of two seasons, totaling 70 episodes, and came to an end due to low ratings.
Since its cancellation several Munster films have been made, including Munster, Go Home!, The Mini-Munsters and The Munsters’ Revenge. Some of these featured the original cast members (Fred Gwynne as Herman, Yvonne De Carl as Lily, and Al Lewis as Grandpa), whilst some had an entirely new cast, as the revival series The Munsters Today (1988-1991) did. All variations of the Munster family have resembled the original’s looks and quirks and judging by Zombie’s photo of the cast (more on that later) it would appear he too hasn’t strayed from the source material — aesthetically, at least. Thematically, who knows what Zombie will bring to The Munsters?
Of course, there are two obvious routes he could take. He could keep The Munsters light and PG, or he could rework it to better suit his penchant for horror. For those who aren’t familiar with Zombie or his previous works, a quick recap is in order. Both a singer/songwriter and filmmaker, Rob Zombie is known for his heavy metal music and gruesome slashers. His highest-grossing film is Halloween — a remake of the 1978 horror classic, and he is also the director of House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, and 3 from Hell. Despite their just-above-average ratings, Zombie’s dark and devilish films have found a cult following in horror fanatics. And so far, Zombie hasn’t strayed too far from his established niche.
Could The Munsters mark a shift in Zombie’s directorial career? It would seem so, judging by a Horror Geek Life interview with Daniel Roebuck in which the future Grandpa Munster says, “I really hope audiences walk away feeling entertained and laughing.” Some viewers have been wondering why Zombie chose The Munsters to remake in the first place. Simply put, Zombie is a mega-fan of the series. The evidence is everywhere. Not only was he a commentator on Munster, Go Home! but he also wrote the Munster-inspired song, “Dragula,” and has a tattoo of The Munsters character, Zombo.
So far Zombie has announced three main cast members in his film. In addition to Roebuck, Zombie’s wife and frequent leading-lady, Sheri Moon Zombie, will be starring as Lily, with Jeff Daniel Phillips starring as Herman. This came as no surprise to followers of Zombie’s work, as he has previously collaborated with this trio on numerous projects. Young Munsters, Eddie, and Marilyn have yet to be cast. These roles were originally filled by Butch Patrick and Beverley Owen, respectively, and on June 10 Zombie shared a post of him and Patrick — the only surviving member of the original Munster family — with the caption, “Our buddy @the_real_butch_patrick_ dropped by the Zombie residence to celebrate the new Munsters movie. Of course we took the Koach out for a spin.” Fans of The Munsters will recognize the Koach as the family car used in the series.
Regarding what the film might look like, Zombie has been sharing lots of behind-the-scenes photos on his Instagram, so this question is a little easier to answer: apparently very similar. Zombie’s documentation journey began in June, shortly after his initial announcement, and in July he shared a blueprint of the Munsters house, captioned, “I want this thing exact.” Images of the completed house (and neighborhood!) followed, alongside snaps of Grandpa’s wig and Herman’s wardrobe; all boast exact replicas. Additionally, a photo of the cast, posted October 18, shows the main Munsters looking eerily similar to their predecessors. The only difference, fans noted, is Grandpa’s mustache — original Grandpa Munster was clean-shaven. It’s unknown yet whether Zombie will choose to shoot in black and white as the series did, but if he does it will be for aesthetic, not financial, reasons — the latter of which determined the original’s look.
The Munsters is expected to be released in 2022, in theatres and on Peacock.
Source: Rob Zombie/Instagram