Re-Animator is an American film series consisting of three horror films directed by Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna. Loosely based on the 1922 serialized short story "Herbert West–Reanimator" by H. P. Lovecraft, the films follow the exploits of Herbert West, the inventor of a serum that can re-animate deceased bodies. West is portrayed by Jeffrey Combs in all three films.
| Re-Animator | |
|---|---|
.png) Re-Animator film series logo | |
| Directed by | Stuart Gordon Brian Yuzna |
| Based on | Herbert West–Reanimator by H. P. Lovecraft |
| Starring | Jeffrey Combs Bruce Abbott Barbara Crampton David Gale |
Release dates |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The first film in the series, Re-Animator, was released in 1985. Directed by Gordon and produced by Yuzna, it stars Combs alongside Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, and David Gale. It was followed by a sequel, Bride of Re-Animator, in 1990, directed by Yuzna and again starring Combs and Abbott. The third film, Beyond Re-Animator, was released in 2003.
Films
edit| Film | Year | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Re-Animator | 1985 | Stuart Gordon[1] | Stuart Gordon, William J. Norris, Dennis Paoli | Brian Yuzna |
| Bride of Re-Animator | 1990 | Brian Yuzna[2][3] | Rick Fry, Woody Keith, Brian Yuzna | |
| Beyond Re-Animator | 2003 | Miguel Tejada-Flores, José Manuel Gómez, Brian Yuzna | Brian Yuzna, Julio Fernández, Carlos Fernández |
Unproduced sequels
editTwo unproduced sequels were Island of Re-Animator, an The Island of Doctor Moreau-style story,[4] and the better known House of Re-Animator,[5] which would have featured Dr. Herbert West reanimating the President of the United States.[4]
Remakes
editIn 2017, an Italian version entitled Herbert West: Re-Animator was released with Emanuele Cerman as Dr. Herbert West.[6][better source needed]
A film by the name of Antihuman was set to release in early 2017 before being rebranded as Re-Animator: Evolution, with Johnathan Schaech in the lead role as Dr. Herbert West. The title was then changed to Herbert West: Re-Animator with a release date of December 15, 2018, and Schaech no longer on the cast list. It was described as "much darker, more thought-provoking, and more so grounded in science than the original film" and to be in tune with the original Lovecraft story. However, no news has been released since late 2016.[7][8]
Other media
editRe-Animator: The Musical, based on the first movie, debuted in 2011.
Comic books
editBetween 1991 and 1992, Adventure Comics, a division of Malibu Comics, released two miniseries related to the films:
- Re-Animator, a three-issue adaptation of the first movie.
- Re-Animator: Dawn of the Re-Animator, a four-issue prequel to the films.
In 2004, the four-issue comic Army of Darkness vs. Re-Animator was released by Dynamite Entertainment. The crossover became the first four issues of the ongoing Army of Darkness comic series, and additional Army of Darkness/Re-Animator crossover comics would be released by Dynamite in 2013 and 2022. Dynamite would publish a standalone Re-Animator comic in 2015 as a sequel to the crossover, followed by Vampirella vs. Re-Animator in 2018.
In 2008 the character featured in issue 15 of the comic book series Hack/Slash. In the issue the character of Cassie must deal with the fallout from her long lost father colluding with West. The issue is set chronologically after the events in the third film.[9]
References
edit- ^ Maslin, Janet (October 18, 1985). "Screen: Stuart Gordon Directrs 'Re-Animator'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (February 22, 1991). "Review/Film; Bride's Head Revisited". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ Buchanan, Jason (2007). "Beyond Re-Animator". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007.
- ^ a b Squires, John (November 8, 2016). "'House of Re-Animator': The Presidential Sequel That Never Happened". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ Condit, Jon (September 25, 2006). "Exclusive: Yuzna Talks Re-Animator Future!". Dread Central. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
- ^ "Herbert West: Re-Animator (2017)". IMDb. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- ^ Miska, Brad (September 19, 2016). "'Re-Animator: Evolution' is Basically a Remake (Exclusive)". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- ^ Calvario, Liz (September 20, 2016). "'Re-Animator: Evolution' In Development, Will Be 'A Remake of Sorts' of the Original". IndieWire. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
- ^ Richards, Dave (August 20, 2008). "Seeley talks Hack/Slash, Re-Animator Crossover". CBR. Retrieved March 22, 2023.