Mere days after the announcement that Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) have an 'untitled monster thriller' in the works with Universal comes some very exciting casting news. Deadline have revealed today that Scream queen Melissa Barrera will reunite with the directorial team in what is presumably a starring role.
The script was written by Stephen Shields, with revisions by Guy Busick, and Scream producer Chad Villella will serve as producer alongside William Sherak, Paul Neinstein and James Vanderbilt at Project X Entertainment.
According to Deadline, Radio Silence began developing this project loosely last year and, while they did meet with other talent, "it became evident pretty quickly that Barrera was the perfect fit for the role following two successful shoots with the rising star and offered her the part."
What exactly that role entails however is still a mystery, as plot details for the mysterious project are tightly under wraps, although we do know that the project will give us a 'unique take' on legendary monster lore.
It seems like we're at the start of a Universal monsters renaissance (see also: today's The Last Voyage of the Demeter trailer, an upcoming revamp of The Mole People and, of course, the recent release of Renfield) and quite frankly we couldn't be happier. Deadline sums it up nicely here:
Universal Monster films are rooted in the horror genre, with no restrictions on budget, rating or genre. They are not part of a shared interconnected universe, which allows each film to stand on its own. This new direction is filmmaker-driven, inviting innovative filmmakers with original, bold ideas for these characters to develop the stories and pitch them.
Given how well Barrera and Radio Silence have worked together in the past (the Scream VI box office figures speak for themselves), we have absolutely no doubt that whatever the monster is, its story is in very capable hands.
We don't need to tell you that we'll be watching this one very closely, so stay tuned for updates on Untitled Monster Thriller (which is kind of an awesome title as it is) as we get them.
