Tobe Hooper’s 1982 “Poltergeist” is an absolute cult horror movie that has a huge following to this day. And why not, the film, which is both horror shock and forward-looking media criticism, has lost nothing of its topicality even today in our digital age. A lukewarm remake of the same name followed in 2015, but it couldn’t handle its great role model.
In March 2022, Amazon acquired the movie production and film distribution company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (in short: MGM), whose rights portfolio also includes the horror brand “Poltergeist”. There are now rumors from insider circles that the streaming giant is interested in reviving the creepy brand.
MGM reportedly wants to give ‘priority’ to ‘Poltergeist’ remake
In the current edition of the video podcast “usually well-informed film journalist Jeff Sneider said Amazon is quite interested in reviving the franchise. That would be a logical step, after the remake was not well received by the trade press or the public – on the review platform Rotten Tomatoes, “Poltergeist” from 2015 achieved a lousy audience rating of 22% and the critics* ratings are also only slightly above this value at 29%.
Jeff Sneider notes that the franchise is one of several MGM brands that Amazon plans to “prioritize” in the future. However, it should be noted that the situation with the series “Poltergeist” could be complicated by the fact that the legendary director Steven Spielberg should be involved in the reboot plans. Spielberg produced the 1982 horror classic directed by Tobe Hooper (“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”) and made his mark on the film.
It is not yet clear whether a possible revival of the series will take place as a film or in series form. As Sneider points out, it appears MGM is currently sifting through its portfolio and figuring out what Amazon plans to do with its brands in the future.