Richard Stanley’s ill-fated remake of The Island of Dr. Moreau has become the thing of legend, as he was fired from the 1996 film after only three days and replaced by John Frankenheimer. The disastrous tale is told in documentary Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau, and now he’s vowing that the project isn’t dead just yet.
In an interview with LA Weekly, Stanley opened up about his dream project, revealing that Frankenheimer’s vision barely represents the one he intended to bring to the screen. He has never quite forgotten about the film that almost was, and he’s apparently not going to sleep until he can make that decades-old dream a reality.
Stanley says that David Gregory’s documentary, screening in limited theaters throughout February and March, has reignited interest in his original screenplay, and he seems quite sure that it’s only a matter of time before the cameras start rolling.
“At this stage, it looks very likely,” said Stanley. “It’s too early for me to name the company involved, but I was actually put under contract in January to write a new draft of The Island of Dr. Moreau, which is already completed and delivered. The project has come back to life, which I think is a side effect of David’s work.
“I suspect the original script simply came too early. If it had come now, it would make sense as a VFX oddity. I think Dr. Moreau is going to be now better. I’ve had 20 years of hindsight. The plan is it’s going to resurface initially as a graphic novel next year from the Humanoids, who’ve picked it up. And if that works well, then the insane plan is to develop the comic book back into a movie again.”
Lost Soul Release Details:
LOST SOUL – THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU, a Severin Films production, will be hitting several screens across the US in February and March, and a theatrical trailer is now available. LOST SOUL has been a hit on the festival circuit, garnering several awards and exuberant critical and audience response. Richard Stanley, the subject of the documentary, will be making rare US appearances at Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix dates along with director David Gregory.
The filming of the ill-fated 1996 version of H. G. Welles’ THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU is the stuff of legend. For the first time since he was unceremoniously escorted off his longtime dream project, Richard (HARDWARE, DUST DEVIL) Stanley reveals in detail his spectacular original vision and how it was all ripped apart at the seams. Cast members including Fairuza Balk, Marco Hofschneider, and Rob Morrow; executives and producers Robert Shaye, Edward R. Pressman, and Tim Zinnemann; concept artist Graham Humphreys; members of the Stan Winston Makeup Effects team; as well as a host of cast and crew members recall the stories first-hand of colossal egos run amok, a production way out of control, and how the original filmmaker was banished from the set but wouldn’t let go.
Directed by David Gregory (PLAGUE TOWN, THEATRE BIZARRE, THE GODFATHERS OF MONDO), this is the sensational story of what could have been a science fiction masterpiece, which became a huge creative and financial disaster; the story of the outsider artist versus Hollywood machine.
Theatrical engagements have been booked by David Szulkin.