Key Takeaways
- Directors Adam Schindler and Brian Netto are interested in reviving Darkman.
- Sam Raimi confirmed a sequel is in development with a screenplay ready.
- Funding remains a challenge for the production of the new Darkman film.
- Several filmmakers, including Josh Ruben, are eager to contribute to the Darkman legacy.
Just over a year ago, the directing duo of Adam Schindler and Brian Netto, who worked with the legendary Sam Raimi on episodes of the Raimi-produced anthology series 50 States of Fright and on the thriller Don’t Move, said that they would like to revive Darkman, the superhero action franchise that Raimi started with his 1990 film of the same name. Now, I’m wondering – are they about to get their chance? Maybe, because Raimi has confirmed to Movieweb that a Darkman sequel has a screenplay in place and “two great directors” attached, they just need to secure the funding!
Darkman Refresher
Scripted by Sam Raimi with Chuck Pfarrer, Ivan Raimi, Daniel Goldin, and Joshua Goldin, the original Darkman has the following synopsis: When the laboratory of Dr. Peyton Westlake is blown up by gangsters, he is burned beyond recognition. Altered by an experimental medical procedure, he assumes alternate identities in his quest for revenge. Liam Neeson starred in the original film (and would be interested in returning for a legacy sequel), then the title role was taken over by Arnold Vosloo for two direct-to-video sequels. Raimi has previously said that Universal was talking about making another sequel.
When The Hollywood Reporter asked them about their dream projects, Schindler answered, “If we’re talking Sam-related, it’s Darkman. We talked about Darkman [with him]. We’ve got a love and an affinity for Darkman.” Netto added, “Darkman was my favorite film for a good portion of my life. It was the movie, so Darkman would be really interesting.”
Schindler and Netto aren’t the only filmmakers who have been hoping to add to the Darkman legacy, as Scare Me, Werewolves Within, and Heart Eyes director Josh Ruben is such a Darkman superfan that he even recorded a fan commentary for a Scream Factory 4K and Blu-ray release and dropped his pitch for a sequel on social media. His approach to telling a new Darkman story would be very different than I ever would have expected, drawing inspiration from the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street and the recent update of The Invisible Man.
New Sequel
Raimi didn’t reveal what approach is being taken for the new sequel he’s trying to push toward production and didn’t name the directors, so maybe it’s not Schindler and Netto after all, but he did tell Movieweb: “Ghost House Pictures, the company I work with, is trying to make the sequel right now. We’ve got a screenplay and two great directors, but we’re still having a little difficulty with the financing. It’s always the same in the movie business.
It’s baffling to me that Sam Raimi would run into any trouble trying to secure funding for a Darkman sequel, but the entertainment industry is a strange place. I hope he’ll be able to get this project rolling soon. In the meantime, his new movie, Send Help, is about to reach theatres.
Are you glad to hear that Raimi is trying to bring a new Darkman sequel into the world? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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