THE SHAPE OF WATER Producer Talks Potentially Joining The DARK UNIVERSE

THE SHAPE OF WATER Producer Talks Potentially Joining The DARK UNIVERSE

Guillermo Del Toro's rousing success with THE SHAPE OF WATER, led many to want the director to reignite the failed DARK UNIVERSE. Producer J Miles Davis spoke about this prospect to ScreenRant...

By FromACertainPOV - Mar 11, 2018 01:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Monsters
Source: ScreenRant

Dark Universe which proved to be one of the most egregious examples of fast-tracking a cinematic universe, was to begin with last year's The Mummy. Though when that film fell staggeringly short of expectations; both critically and at the box office, it caused the studio to halt production on the next film in the series, and threw the entire endeavor into question.

A few months later saw the release of Del Toro's The Shape of Water, which many remarked bore similarities to Universal's 1954 classic The Creature from the Black Lagoon, causing audiences to lament the fact that the Universal's own update of their classic property's weren't nearly as good.

With that, the desire to see Crimson Peak director Guillermo Del Toro (whose love for classic monster movies is a matter of public record) helm the monster universe, was reignited. While speaking to ScreenRant, producer J. Miles Dale talks about their relationship with Universal Monsters and The Dark Universe, and reveals if any talks have taken place: 

“We haven’t really talked about it. I’ve made seven movies for Universal and know and love them well, and they’re doing their own thing now after The Mummy. It’s interesting, Guillermo actually pitched them a version of this movie (The Shape of Water), of a remake of Creature, but I think at a certain point when they heard that the girl and the monster get it on, they were like, ‘OK, here’s your parking validation. You can go now.’ It’s a very strong IP (intellectual property) for them and they’re going to do whatever they want. It’s such a bigger project (for them), but we haven’t really talked about it. I know (Guillermo) has thoughts on all those movies. He’s got thoughts on Frankenstein, he’s had thoughts on Bride, and certainly he’s not going to be remaking Creature from the Black Lagoon now, I feel he’s done his version of that. But we haven’t talked about it and certainly wish them luck.”


I'm sure following The Shape of Water winning Best Picture, Universal must be kicking themselves that they didn't bring Del Toro on board in some capacity, then we might have gotten a Dark Universe of beautiful, graceful and poetic gothic romances and thrillers,  instead of the lackluster modern action film that was The Mummy reboot.

Not all hope is lost however, as Dale states the Pan's Labyrinth director sill has "thoughts" about these movies and with Universal's recent failings and Del Toro's success, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that both sides may be looking to reopen conversations. 

What do you think? Would you like to see Del Toro helm THE DARK UNIVERSE? What did you think of The Shape of Water? Which Universal monster film is your favourite? Leave your thoughts below. 

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Antoin
Antoin - 3/11/2018, 3:46 AM
Thought the Dark Universe was dead
Kevwebsz
Kevwebsz - 3/11/2018, 3:50 AM
Just let it die.
zeon00
zeon00 - 3/11/2018, 4:06 AM
@Kevwebsz - never
CopperCrow
CopperCrow - 3/11/2018, 3:54 AM
lol, God bless them for trying...
hartley07
hartley07 - 3/11/2018, 4:38 AM
Why not have del Toro make another monster movie, then throw a tie in to shape of water at the end? Have him establish his own monster universe that starts with shape of water, and just don't name it as a particular "universe" yet. Just have del Toro do what marvel did. They didn't call it the mcu until after a bunch of movies came out. Just make movies then give the universe a name later, and let the currebt dark universe die.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 3/11/2018, 5:36 AM
Dracula, Frankenstein, Wolf-Man, Mummy, Invisible Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon are some of the greatest movies ever made. I'm SHOCKED the studio's can't give us a 5 Star Dark Universe. It seems like it would be so easy.

To me it's a no-brainer.
TomSolo
TomSolo - 3/11/2018, 9:18 AM
@DoubleD - It would be easier if they had a solid direction for the franchise. It would also be helpful if they focused on making solid, unique films that audiences want to go see.

The movies they are trying to bring back are old and many are not that great. They were plain horror films from a time when people could be scared by a vampire that didn’t have fangs. Sure there are some great things about them, but overall, they are pretty simple films. If this could be successful, they would need to really make them interesting.

The main problem here is that someone thinks Del Toro’s film would be good to start the franchise. What was the box office cume on the film? Sure, it won an Oscar, but if you are trying to start a billion-dollar franchise, it usually doesn’t begin with Oscar winners and horror films. People need to see the movies to make franchises.
Optimist18
Optimist18 - 3/11/2018, 9:40 AM
@TomSolo - "Many are not that great"

I think the REAL problem is that good taste has slowly, but surely, died since these films came out.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 3/11/2018, 12:49 PM
@DoubleD - The problem is they are trying to make these franchise action movies instead of what they are and always have been which is horror movies
TomSolo
TomSolo - 3/11/2018, 4:57 PM
@Optimist18 - That is true. Maybe a better way of putting it would be to say that by today's standards they are very slow, simple and sometimes a bit cheesy. They definitely reflect film at that time. Which isn't necessarily bad. But it worked for audiences of that time.

I think it is tough to translate those types of films to today's climate because what made them so endearing is what you would have to change to make rhem blockbusters today.

I feel this is similar to the way I feel reading Lovecraft stories. They were terrifying back then, but now they are a fun throwback read. Science has explained away a lot of our fears.
Optimist18
Optimist18 - 3/11/2018, 6:32 PM
@TomSolo - So basically, all the magic in the world is dead. Save for that found in superheroes.
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 3/11/2018, 6:46 PM
@DoubleD - They were 5 stars by the time of their release but horro movies have changed a lot since then, for me modern 5 stars horror flicks are movies like REC or The Descent.
TomSolo
TomSolo - 3/11/2018, 6:47 PM
@Optimist18 - Well, I don't necessarily believe that. I think a studio could make a Dark Universe. It would probably have to be a bit different than the originals, and it might not make Marvel money, but I think it could work.

I think Marvel proved that with patience, care and the right people in the right positions, a huge shared cinematic universe is possible.

Other studios have shown that just hiring big actors and forcing scripts and movies onto the screens is not the best way to go, even with popular ip's.
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 3/11/2018, 6:48 PM
@Optimist18 - superheroes, star wars and Guillermo Del Toro 🙌
DarkSuperman
DarkSuperman - 3/11/2018, 6:16 AM
We already had this. It's called Penny Dreadful.
TheRealMandarin
TheRealMandarin - 3/11/2018, 8:36 AM
Join them? Ha you can save them mr dale,you can save them all.
TheJester187
TheJester187 - 3/11/2018, 4:40 PM
This is where hard work pays off! Del Toro is well and has been respected since Hellboy as a Director and in the comic book community. It goes to the show you he did some boss $hit and showed Universal and prolly other big companies he didn’t need them and still created what I think was one of the best films of 2017 in the shape of water. I Was really looking forward to him directing Justice League Dark smfh!
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 3/11/2018, 6:43 PM
They totally should, BUT they should officially kick off the Dark Universe with Del Toro, effectively erasing the mummy reboot (and Dracula Untold again).

I really like Del Toro movies, I know they are not perfect but at least he made most of my favorite modern sci-fi and fantasy films that are not based on any previous work of fiction or real life event.
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 3/11/2018, 6:55 PM
“You think you can save the Dark Universe? You can’t even save yourselves.”

theFUZZ008
theFUZZ008 - 3/12/2018, 4:46 AM
They don't deserve him.
kolatrl
kolatrl - 3/12/2018, 4:15 PM
They should’ve continued on with Dracula: Untold, it was a great movie imo and that post credits scene was the perfect set up to The Dark Universe franchise.
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