As we approach the release of Alex Kurtzman’s The Mummy this summer, many Universal Monster fans are wondering what else the studio has in store for us. After all, Universal has dated two more subsequent monster outings for April 13th, 2018 and February 15th, 2019, but has not gotten around to announcing exactly what those films will be. Up until now, none of the six other films officially in-development has had a director, making things even more mysterious. That changes today with ‘s assertion that Bill Condon is in talks to direct The Bride of Frankenstein.
David Koepp was hired to pen the screenplay for the reboot of the James Whale classic back in late 2015. Last summer, it was announced that Javier Bardem would be taking on the role of the Frankenstein Monster in the eventual picture. Rumors have also persisted that the studio wants Angelina Jolie to play the titular role of the Bride, with the film taking a feminist bent. Nothing has yet come of that particular casting rumor, although I have little doubt that they will secure a name actress for the part.
After all, we already have a Mummy movie hitting theaters this year with Tom Cruise as the hero and Russell Crowe playing Dr. Henry Jekyll. Furthermore, Johnny Depp has already signed the dotted line to play The Invisible Man in a picture being penned by Ed Solomon (Bill & Ted, Men In Black). On top of all of this, we also have re-imaginings of Van Helsing, The Wolf Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon on deck.
Back to Condon, the man is no stranger to the horror genre. While he might be best known for musicals like Dreamgirls and Beauty and the Beast, teen hits such as the final two Twilight films, or more dramatic fare like Mr. Holmes, he’s always had one foot in the genre. Condon’s first feature was Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, after all. Universal even courted him for their 2010 Wolf Man redo when the original director dropped out. On top of that, his wonderful James Whale biopic Gods & Monsters (pictured above) mined this particular territory to perfection. He’s also professed his love of the original Bride more than once. With Bill Condon at the helm, this project is in good hands.
Will it be our 2018 Monster film? It seems likely, given that none of the others have directors on board yet. Whichever film is aiming for that date needs to get its ducks in a row soon, however. We’re only about a year away from that date, so expect to hear some word on what Monsterverse Movie #2 (and #3) will be very soon, even if the date is pushed back.
