Despite many of us having been in quarantine for the majority of the year, Channing Tatum has been quite productive. Not only has the A-list star managed to direct his film, Dog (and adopt a canine of his own in the process), but he’s also set to serve as an executive producer on HBO’s Space Force X series. He even used his time in quarantine to write a book inspired by and dedicated to his daughter. Now, the actor is re-teaming with his 21 Jump Street collaborators, Phil Lord and Chris Miller for a monster movie at Universal Pictures.
This new collaboration between Channing Tatum, Phil Lord and Chris Miller is being described as a “a modern-day, tongue-in-cheek thriller inspired by Universal’s classic monster legacy.” According to Deadline, producer Reid Carolin, whose credits include Magic Mike and White House Down, came up with the idea and wrote the original treatment. The script is currently being written by Midway scribe Wes Tooke. Universal is working hand in hand with Lord and Miller’s Lord Miller production banner and Tatum’s Free Association production company to make the project happen.
While the prospect of Phil Lord and Chris Miller teaming up with Channing Tatum again is exciting, their working relationship will be different this time around. Lord and Miller will not be directing the film but will only be serving as producers under their production banner along with Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan.
It is a bit disappointing to hear that the fan-favorite directing duo won’t be helming this film, especially when you consider what they could do with such a concept. Still, as producers on films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and The Lego Batman Movie, they’ve proven that they can still guide a project and have their creative touch shine through. They’ll also undoubtedly have a hand in finding a suitable director.
The legacy of the Universal Monsters franchise is one that spans decades and is still going strong to this day. The series has hit some low points, particularly with the rise and immediate fall of the Dark Universe. However, things seem to be moving in the right direction now, thanks to the success of The Invisible Man. There’s also the upcoming reboot of The Wolfman, which will see Ryan Gosling play the lead role.
Lord and Miller may not be directing this new movie but, given that the film will be more tongue in cheek, it’ll likely poke fun at some elements of the franchise. Because they’re not directing, it’s hard to say if it’ll have their meta style of storytelling, but it would certainly fit. Channing Tatum’s role is also something to consider, as he could very well be playing a monster, which wouldn’t be a bad idea. I mean who wouldn’t want to see him put his own spin on Dracula or Frankenstein?
This film is further evidence that Universal is committed to delivering more content from its stable of monster movies, and it’s great to see that they’re diversifying things a bit. Channing Tatum, Phil Lord and Chris Miller have more than proven their abilities with the Jump Street franchise, so let’s hope they can apply a bit of that magic to this new film.
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