Things are starting to get a little ghosty in the horror world! The cult favorite horror film Thir13en Ghosts, a Dark Castle Entertainment remake of the 1960 13 Ghosts, is rising from the grave. This time, it’s not just a remake but a full series adaptation and expansion of the Dark Castle version that’s set to chill our screens.
The banshee-find baker’s dozen began with director William Castle’s 13 Ghosts in 1960, later reincarnated by Dark Castle Entertainment as Thir13en Ghosts in 2001. And now, the haunting legacy continues with a potential series adaptation, and we’ve got the scoop!
Dark Castle’s Thir13en Ghosts
The 2001 film Th13teen Ghosts, directed by Steve Beck, tells the story of a family that inherits a seemingly spectacular glass mansion from their eccentric uncle, only to discover it’s a sinister machine designed to contain 12 vengeful spirits. The film featured a star-studded cast including Tony Shalhoub, Embeth Davidtz, Shannon Elizabeth, and Matthew Lillard.
The Creators and Their Vision
The development team behind this ghostly revival is a trio of remarkable talents: Patrick Mediate of Primordial Pictures, Fear the Walking Dead VFX Supervisor Aaron McLane, and Fear the Walking Dead co-producer Ashley Robinson.
Together, they immediately connected with Dark Castle, aligning strongly with their vision for the series. “They made it clear to us that 13 Ghosts is the Crown Jewel of their library and a property that is long overdue for a resurrection,” they shared.
The trio are keen to respect the deep roots of the original William Castle cult classic while propelling the story into the 21st century. “As a united force with Dark Castle who firmly stand behind our vision, we really want to be sure this series respects and pays homage to the deep roots of the original William Castle cult classic and its enormous existing fan base, while reinventing its ensemble of characters and narrative arcs to propel the property into the 21st century to give attract a whole new universe of fans,” they explained.
Exploring the Ghosts
The creators are eager to delve into the backgrounds of the ghosts, offering a fresh and unique storytelling experience. “It had always been clear to us that ever since the 2000’s remake, there was so much to be explored in the backgrounds of the ghosts so it’s only natural that we created each episode to explore and examine their origin stories, personalities, plights, and fates,” they revealed.
The series aims to embrace what makes each culture’s ghost stories special, offering international inspiration for their spectral foes. “Ghost stories are universal, yet differ in every culture both cinematically and through their respective folklore. We wanted this re-imagining of 13 Ghosts to embrace what makes each culture’s ghost stories special by offering an international sampling of these supernatural tales. Therefore, the ghost stories within each episode will have their own stylistic look and feel that can be explored and influenced by individual directors who can put their own unique stamp on them,” the creators expressed.
A New Dimension of Horror: Augmented Reality
One of the most thrilling aspects of the 13 Ghosts series is the potential incorporation of augmented reality (AR) technology. Imagine not just watching the ghosts on screen but seeing additional specters in your own living room through an app on your device. This innovative approach could take the horror experience to an unprecedented level, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the ghostly world like never before.
The Future of the Series
The creators envision an entire universe for the 13 Ghosts series. “It’s actually going to be something pretty profound that could be an enormous testament to the worlds we lay the groundwork with the first season. Long and short, this is absolutely going to be a series with stories and three-dimensional characters that fans are going to want to join up with for multiple seasons”, they expressed.
However, they also caution that the series is only half greenlit. “Having Dark Castle’s support and blessing is only one part of the equation since Sony Pictures Television owns 50% of the rights. Right now the future of this being a series at all is completely in Sony’s court as we pitched to them right before the strike occurred. We’re hopeful that when the strike ends we can bolster up enough support to get the series completely greenlit with a solid distributor so the fans need to make it known that they want this vision and want this as a series now more than ever.”
With the potential incorporation of augmented reality (AR) technology and a fresh exploration of international ghostly origins, the 13 Ghosts series is set to take the horror experience to a new level. The series is still in the early stages of development, but the excitement is palpable. Stay tuned for more haunting updates!
Are you as excited for the return of the Thirteen Ghosts? Let us know over in the Nightmare on Film Street Discord!
