‘Poltergeist’ series in early development at Amazon
A still from ‘Poltergeist’ (1982)
| Photo Credit: 1982 Warner Bros. Ent
A Poltergeist series, set within the world of Steven Spielberg-written 1982 film, is in early development at Amazon MGM Studios, Variety reported on Monday.
The report added that no writer or director is currently attached to the project. Spielberg’s film followed a family that is haunted by several ghosts in their new home in Cuesta Verde, California. When the youngest daughter is abducted mysteriously during a thunderstorm, a parapsychologist and a spiritual medium are employed to help the family.
The 1982 film, directed by Tobe Hooper, had a story written by Spielberg, who also wrote the screenplay along with Michael Grais and Mark Victor. The film opened to wide acclaim, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year, and was nominated for three Academy Awards. According to Variety, the film earned almost $121 million globally against a reported budget of $10.7 million.
The success also led to the making of two sequels, in 1986 and 1988. A reboot of the 1982 film was also made and released in 2015. Notably, the upcoming series will not be the first series set in the world of Poltergeist; Poltergeist: The Legacy aired for four seasons from 1996 to 1999, the first three airing on Showtime and the final on Sci-Fi Channel.
The upcoming series will be the latest attempt by Amazon to bank on an MGM IP since the acquisition. Projects on Robocop, Barbershop and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo are currently in the works.
