Home Entertainment Guillermo del Toro’s Mimic being rebooted as a TV series, Paul WS Anderson directing

Guillermo del Toro’s Mimic being rebooted as a TV series, Paul WS Anderson directing

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How’s this for timing? As some of you may know, over the last 12 weeks, we’ve been taking part in (AND EVENTUALLY WINNING!!!) the Big Screen Hooligans Movie Quiz. One of the weekly rounds had to do with identifying movie monsters, and there was a particularly creepy-crawly that stumped all of us: the mutated insect from Mimic. I had not seen the Guillermo del Toro written/directed sci-fi horror for probably 20 years (even though I loved it at the time), so I told my wife that we need to make it our weekend movie throwback watch. That was just yesterday and now this morning we get greeted by the news that Mimic is being rebooted as a TV series. I SEE YOU WATCHING ME, MOVIE GODS!

Deadline brings the news that Miramax’s Television group is adapting Mimic for the small screen, though they are still shopping it around to prospective networks. Hannibal and Orange is the New Black writer/producer Jim Danger Gray (yes, his middle name is actually Danger) will exec produce and act as showrunner, while Paul W.S. Anderson will co-produce and direct the pilot episode. Anderson is most famous for helming the Resident Evil movie franchise as well as classic horror Event Horizon. Del Toro is not involved in the reboot in any capacity at this time.

Released in 1997 and starring Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino, Mimic was adapted from Donald A. Wollheim’s short story of the same name and told of genetically engineered roaches that evolve into huge creatures which threaten to destroy humanity. There are no details yet on how this TV series adaptation would play out, other than the press release calling it a “bold new take”. According to Gray’s statements though, the show may be using its bugs as some form of societal allegory.

Mimic explores, on its surface, the idea of insects taking over. Body horror, the anxiety of ‘a bug’ living inside of us, the death of truth, the denial of science and the rise of personal entitlement are at the heart of our show as it examines how society is eaten alive by an invasion that is laying bare its greatest insecurities and failures.

Long before he would wow us with Pan’s Labyrinth and Hellboy, Mimic was only Del Toro’s second feature film ever and his first English release following the Mexican horror flick Cronos. With him not being a big name yet, the young director’s soon-to-be-iconic sensibilities were stifled quite a bit by the Miramax, who maintained final cut privileges. As a result, Del Toro never endorsed the theatrical release of the movie which got mixed reviews from critics upon release. He would eventually release a Director’s Cut of Mimic in 2011, which got a warmer reception.

I’m really hoping I can find said directors cut on Mimic some streaming service this coming weekend as it was notoriously hard to acquire on Blu-ray back in the day. Some buggy horror can be a nice distraction from what’s really happening in the world outside right now.

Last Updated: August 5, 2020

17 Comments

  1. Kervyn. As the resident movie buff, can you remember a film that came out many years ago about a Lady who works at a museum, I can’t remember what she does in the story, I do however remember it having something to do with bones. Anyway, they discover some ancient tomb or something if I remember correctly, and I could be mistaken, and they bring it back to the museum. Inside is some scary creature that goes on a night long rampage of scary beastly murder and mayhem.

    One thing I can distinctly remember is she locks the thing in a acid vat box that removes flesh from bones. That movies was a really awesome monster flick. Just wondering if you knew what it was called ?

    Oh yeah, I know the film unfolds over a night.

    Reply

  2. MechMachine

    August 5, 2020 at 11:19

    Kervyn. As the resident movie buff, can you remember a film that came out many years ago about a Lady who works at a museum, I can’t remember what she does in the story, I do however remember it having something to do with bones. Anyway, they discover some ancient tomb or something if I remember correctly, and I could be mistaken, and they bring it back to the museum. Inside is some scary creature that goes on a night long rampage of scary beastly murder and mayhem.

    One thing I can distinctly remember is she locks the thing in a acid vat box that removes flesh from bones. That movies was a really awesome monster flick. Just wondering if you knew what it was called ?

    Oh yeah, I know the film unfolds over a night.

    Reply

  3. MechMachine

    August 5, 2020 at 11:19

    Kervyn. As the resident movie buff, can you remember a film that came out many years ago about a Lady who works at a museum, I can’t remember what she does in the story, I do however remember it having something to do with bones. Anyway, they discover some ancient tomb or something if I remember correctly, and I could be mistaken, and they bring it back to the museum. Inside is some scary creature that goes on a night long rampage of scary beastly murder and mayhem.

    One thing I can distinctly remember is she locks the thing in a acid vat box that removes flesh from bones. That movies was a really awesome monster flick. Just wondering if you knew what it was called ?

    Oh yeah, I know the film unfolds over a night.

    Reply

  4. LegionZA

    August 5, 2020 at 11:20

    Haven’t seen this in ages, but I remember I enjoyed it. This could work as a mini-series so it doesn’t drag on too long and get stale.

    Reply

    • MechMachine

      August 5, 2020 at 11:20

      I remember we once bought food from a takeout, a really respectable place, My dad was eating his pasta and he took a bite of his food and it almost ate a roach ( not the horse ). Always reminds me of this film. Weirdly enough.

      Reply

  5. MechMachine

    August 5, 2020 at 11:19

    Kervyn. As the resident movie buff, can you remember a film that came out many years ago about a Lady who works at a museum, I can’t remember what she does in the story, I do however remember it having something to do with bones. Anyway, they discover some ancient tomb or something if I remember correctly, and I could be mistaken, and they bring it back to the museum. Inside is some scary creature that goes on a night long rampage of scary beastly murder and mayhem.

    One thing I can distinctly remember is she locks the thing in a acid vat box that removes flesh from bones. That movies was a really awesome monster flick. Just wondering if you knew what it was called ?

    Oh yeah, I know the film unfolds over a night.

    Reply

    • LegionZA

      August 5, 2020 at 11:20

      Could be The Relic?

      Reply

      • MechMachine

        August 5, 2020 at 11:20

        I think it might be. Le me google. Thanks.

        Reply

      • MechMachine

        August 5, 2020 at 11:33

        You are right. Thanks. Jeeze, trailers don’t age well.

        Reply

      • MechMachine

        August 5, 2020 at 11:33

        Man, I had this taped from DSTV. I watched it over and over again back in the day. A true horror classic. How films have changed.

        Reply

        • LegionZA

          August 5, 2020 at 11:45

          Ah, the days we used to tape things.

          Reply

          • MechMachine

            August 5, 2020 at 12:00

            The scary part is there are people around who are in there early 20’s that weren’t born when that film came out. There’s a strong cup of coffee for you right there.

          • Kervyn Cloete

            August 5, 2020 at 14:32

            Funniest story like this. A colleague at my 9-5 job watched Split and said he really enjoyed it, but hated the ending as it made no sense. When I asked him to explain, I realized he was talking about the scene at the end where Bruce Willis shows up and mentions Mr Glass.

            I was like “Dude! That was the big twist! This is actually secretly a sequel to Unbreakable! How did you not figure that out?!”

            And that’s when I realized that he was only 6 yrs old when Unbreakable was released. Cue me doing savingprivateryanoldmattdamon.gif in real life.

          • MechMachine

            August 5, 2020 at 15:22

            It gives new meaning to the expression, the youth of today.

      • Kervyn Cloete

        August 5, 2020 at 11:45

        Yes that is The Relic. I remember it well. I dug it back then. I’m a huge sucker for creature feature movies.

        Reply

        • MechMachine

          August 5, 2020 at 12:14

          Yeah, I just loved it because it scared me. It was a good flick. I always picture myself in those situations and I`m like..nope.

          Reply

    • MechMachine

      August 5, 2020 at 12:14

      It turn out my memory has failed me, she gets in a water box thingy……

      Reply

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