Posted in: streaming, TV | Tagged: atomic monster, james wan, the munsters
The Munsters Set for Darker TV Return with "1313" From James Wan
It looks like James Wan thinks a dark reboot of The Munsters would be a good thing; we'll see if he's right (or not) with the upcoming 1313.
The Munsters live yet again. Deadline reports that the first family of horror is getting a dark reboot, which completely misses the point of the show, from producer James Wan. Lindsey Anderson Beer is on board as showrunner of what is being called 1313, the family's address on Mockingbird Lane. This is not the first time the series has been attempted to be modernized, as Bryan Fuller tried his hand with Mockingbird Lane a number of years ago, and Seth Myers also tried in 2017 to move them to Brooklyn and attempt to fit in. Neither project came to television. The last we saw of The Munsters was the terrible 2022 Rob Zombie film, which somehow has gained footing as a cult classic.
Dark Version Of The Munsters? Can We Not?
The Munsters aired from 1964 to 1966 on CBS. There were 70 episodes of the original series, which starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster, Yvonne De Carlo as his vampire wife Lily, Al Lewis as vampire Grandpa, Beverley Owen (later replaced by Pat Priest) as their niece Marilyn, and Butch Patrick as their werewolf son Eddie. It was a hugely popular show, and until Batman came along in 1966, one of the highest-rated on TV. It spawned a spin-off series and multiple made-for-TV films and has been a regular powerhouse in syndication over the decades since debuting.
My question is simple: why? Why take something that is innocent and funny and turn it dark? I am sure they are going for a Wednesday vibe, but that isn't what The Munsters is at all. That was always the difference between the two shows—you can get darker and more nihilistic with The Addams Family. The Munsters were just zany and fun all the time. What a shame it will be when this trailer comes out.
Ugh. There is no stopping this, so we will bring you news on the cast and release date as it breaks.