‘The Witches of Eastwick’ Remake Finds Its Director
Josh Korngut
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Sundance darling Ninja Thyberg is reformatting the 1987 classic The Witches of Eastwick. The exciting newcomer is responsible for directing “Pleasure”, a project which stirred the cauldron at Sundance 2021, Screen Daily reports.
Warner Bros. and Thyberg signed the deal in blood last week and the film is rumored to be headed to cameras next year. While the original is a stone-cold classic, it’s in desperate need of a fresh take… one which is not exclusively crafted by a team of middle-aged men. If you haven’t seen The Witches of Eastwick in a while, revisit it to see what I mean. Alison Bechdel would have notes.
Reports indicate that Thyberg’s Pleasure expertly subverts the male gaze. Could she be the perfect choice to reimagine this problematic favorite?
The Witches of Eastwick was based on the 1984 John Updike novel of the very same name. In the book and original feature, three women lead sexually unfulfilled lives in a town of creeps and religious zealots. All of that changes when an ugly middle-aged dude with a bunch of cash rolls into town and uses their insecurities to coerce them into the world’s hottest, most charismatic harem. Also, he’s the devil and the women kind of have powers, but only when battling dudes.
The original film starred Jack Nicholson, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon. It’s worth (re)watching for the cast alone, not to mention the incredible directing by George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road).
Subsequently, Thyberg turned heads with her short film “Pleasure” in 2013, which she adapted into a feature for the 2021 festival. The original revolved around a 19-year-old who leaves Sweden for L.A. hoping to become a world-famous porn star. But, of course, things do not go as planned.
What do you think about the upcoming Witches of Eastwick? Let me know on Twitter via @joshkorngut. I’m always down to talk about all things spooky! You can also let your voice be heard in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Dread Central is now on Google News.
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