Sam Raimi and Roy Lee Set to Remake Ventriloquist Horror Classic ‘Magic’ for Lionsgate
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Lionsgate is breathing new life into Magic, the unsettling 1978 psychological horror film that made an impression with its eerie talking dummy. The studio has enlisted two genre heavyweights, Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi and producer Roy Lee, to bring the story to a new generation of horror fans.
The original Magic starred Anthony Hopkins as Corky, a magician who rose to fame with the help of his foul-mouthed ventriloquist dummy, Fats. What began as a successful act quickly unraveled into a disturbing descent as Corky’s fragile mind allowed the dummy to take a sinister hold, leading to terrifying consequences. Directed by Richard Attenborough and based on a novel by William Goldman, the film also featured Ann-Margret and Burgess Meredith. Its chilling promotional campaign — a simple television spot featuring Fats’ face declaring “Magic is fun, we’re dead” — is still remembered as one of horror’s most unnerving teasers.
For the new adaptation, screenwriters Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, best known for their work on Freddy vs. Jason and the 2009 Friday the 13th remake, are handling the script. Producers Chris Hammond and Tim Sullivan, longtime champions of revisiting Goldman’s story, have worked behind the scenes for years to secure the rights and make the project possible.
Raimi and Lee’s involvement underscores the studio’s ambitions. Lee, who recently oversaw the box office success of Weapons, has become a frequent name behind modern horror hits. Raimi, meanwhile, has his own upcoming survival thriller Send Help on the way, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien.
While no casting or release details have been announced, the decision to revisit Magic adds another notable remake to Lionsgate’s slate of horror projects. For fans of chilling psychological tales and eerie ventriloquist dummies, it may soon be time for Fats to speak again.
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