It was only a matter of time before the saga of everyone’s favorite murderous animatronic doll got the remake treatment, and now the first trailer for the re-imaginedChild’s Playhas arrived, offering a tech-fueled spin on the story of pint-sized killer Chucky.
MGM and Orion Pictures released theChild’s Playtrailer on Friday, February 8. Set to Harry Nilsson’s popular 1969 songBest Friend, the preview introduces a new, high-tech version of the doll that will inevitably terrorize the film’s human characters in increasingly gruesome ways.
Directed by Lars Klevberg (Polaroid) from a script penned by Tyler Burton Smith and inspired by the original film,Child’s Playstars Aubrey Plaza (Legion,Parks and Recreation) and Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta), with Plaza portraying a mother who gives her son a new, A.I.-driven toy doll for his birthday. No stranger to horror roles,Lights Outactor Gabriel Bateman plays Andy Barclay, the kid who discovers his new toy has gone dangerously haywire and is leaving a trail of bodies in its wake.
Instead of being possessed by the spirit of a serial killer, the new Chucky doll will reportedly be driven by defective programming that has made it not only murderous, but capable of learning beyond the limitations of other dolls.
The film’s supporting cast also includes young actors Beatrice Kitsos (The Exorcist) and Ty Consiglio (Wonder), as well asJumanji: Welcome to the Jungleactress Carlease Burke.
The remake ofChild’s Playis produced by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith, the same duo that produced 2018’s record-breaking horror filmIt, an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name and now the highest-grossing horror movie of all time.
The firstChild’s Playwas released in 1988 and went on to earn $44.2 million over the course of its theatrical run. Its success spawnedfour theatrical sequels, including 1998’sBride of Chucky, which pivoted the franchise toward more humorous elements and featured an impressive cast that included John Ritter, Jennifer Tilly, and Katherine Heigl.Bride of Chuckyended up becoming the highest-grossing installment of the franchise, with $50.7 million worldwide. Brad Dourif famously (or perhaps infamously) provided the voice of Chucky for the original film and each of its sequels.
Two more sequels — 2013’sCurse of Chuckyand 2017’sCult of Chucky— were released as direct-to-video installments and pivoted back toward a more straightforward horror tone.
