Director Tim Burton is returning to the world of genre filmmaking for his next directorial effort, and it’s going to be a remake of a sci-fi classic. Burton is set to helm a new take on Attack of the 50 Foot Woman for Warner Bros., according to Variety. What’s more, Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) is set to pen the screenplay for this new interpretation.
Nathan Hertz directed the original, which was released in 1958 and was produced for less than $100,000. While it’s unclear what Burton’s version is going to cost it feels pretty safe to assume Warner Bros. is going to spend a bit more this time around. No word yet on casting or just how soon production could begin. As for the story, the report notes that it “follows a wealthy heiress who grows into a giant after an alien encounter and exacts revenge on her cheating husband.” It is also unclear how closely Flynn’s new script will hew to the original, which was penned by Mark Hanna.
Burton is currently in the middle of finishing his long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel for Warner Bros, which we recently learned is titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. That is due to hit theaters in September and, presumably, this is going to be his next feature. But Burton has a full plate as he also has Wednesday season 2 to attend to for Netflix. That being the case, this probably wouldn’t begin filming until next year, meaning it would, in all likelihood, hit theaters sometime in 2026, assuming everything works out. Burton is also set to produce the film alongside Andrew Mittman and Tommy Harper, with Kai Dolbashian on board as executive producer.
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman was previously remade by Christopher Guest for HBO in 1993. Other filmmakers have also made films inspired by the original, such as Roger Corman’s 3D effort Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader, which was released in 2012. Other remakes were attempted over the years but never materialized. The film’s legacy has proved to be enduring.
Burton is no stranger to genre filmmaking. Some of his previous credits include Sleepy Hollow, Mars Attacks!, Corpse Bride, Sweeny Todd, and Frankenweenie. As for Flynn, she penned the hit adaptation of her own novel Gone Girl for director David Fincher back in 2014. Some of her other credits include the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects and Dark Places.
The Attack of the 50 Foot Woman remake does not currently have a release date.
