One Of The Most Infamous Horror Movies Ever Is Finally Getting A Reboot

In a bit of surprising but quite possibly welcome news (depending on who you ask), one of the most controversial and infamous horror movies of the 1980s is getting a reboot. "Silent Night, Deadly Night," the Christmas slasher focused on a guy dressed up as Santa Claus murdering people, is getting a new shot at life. What's more, the company behind the "Terrifier" franchise is making it happen. Buckle up.

According to Deadline, Cineverse is backing this reimagining of director Charles E. Sellier Jr.'s "Silent Night, Deadly Night." Production is already expected to begin soon, with Mike P. Nelson, of "Wrong Turn" (2021) fame, in the director's chair. Scott Schneid and Dennis Whitehead, who executive produced the original 1984 film, are returning to produce this iteration as well. Jamie R. Thompson is also producing alongside Brandon Hill and Brad Miska. Brandon Hill, Cineverse Executive Director of Acquisitions, had this to say about it:

"I have always been a huge fan of Silent Night, Deadly Night and can't wait to bring Mike's vision to fellow fans of iconic slashers. As we have seen this year, there continues to be incredible demand for independent horror films with bite, and we believe this can deliver strong audiences from theatrical to home entertainment and streaming."

This comes hot off the heels of Cineverse's huge success with the Christmas-themed "Terrifier 3," which recently became the biggest unrated movie ever at the box office. Naturally, they are looking to build even further on that success, and making another Christmastime slasher seems like a logical way to go about it.

For those who may not be familiar, the original "Silent Night, Deadly Night" centers on a boy named Billy Chapman who is traumatized by his parents' Christmas Eve murder. After suffering even more at the hands of sadistic nuns in an orphanage, a grown-up Billy dresses as St. Nick and goes on a holiday rampage to punish the naughty. At the time of its release, the film was a lightning rod for controversy; people were none too pleased about the idea of a man dressed as Santa brutally killing people. But that was an extremely different era, and in the age of the brutal kills of films like "Terrifier," will this new film be transgressive or interesting enough to cut through the noise?

Over the years, several sequels to the original were made. The film was loosely remade in 2012 under the title "Silent Night." Another remake was also planned to release in 2022, but that turned into "Christmas Bloody Christmas" instead. As for how this new take will differ? That still remains to be seen. Nelson had this to say about it:

"The opportunity to work with producers involved with the original Silent Night, Deadly Night and to partner with the Terrifier 3 team is an honor. I'll never forget walking into the video store at the mini mall when I was 5 and seeing that poster for the original film. I was in awe and started imagining what horrifying things would happen. To be a part of the film's legacy many years later is insane! I'm looking forward to getting production underway, and unleashing my new take on this compelling story. Billy is back!"

Aside from his work on the "Wrong Turn" reboot, Nelson also directed two segments in last year's "V/H/S/85." For my money, his "Wrong Turn" was one of the most underseen horror movies that was done dirty by the pandemic, and he seems like a great fit to reinvent this classic for modern times.

The new "Silent Night, Deadly Night" movie doesn't have a release date yet, but stay tuned.