Child’s Play Franchise Creator Glad 2019 Reboot Didn’t Get Any Sequels

[Animous]

Child’s Play creator, Don Mancini, has admitted that he feels relived that the 2019 reboot of the original 1988 horror film didn’t get any sequels. The most recent installment in the long-running slasher franchise was an attempt at rejuvenating the concept of a doll imbued with a serial killer’s soul. After seven entries in the series, Orion Pictures decided it was time for something new, abandoning Mancini and long-time Chucky voice actor, Brad Dourif, in favor of director Lars Klevberg and Mark Hamill as the voice of Chucky.

While the 2019 reboot didn’t seem to entirely please fans of the franchise, it wasn’t a total failure at the box office. Critics weren’t especially kind to the film, either, but the series has never been a favorite in that respect. Nonetheless, it could be argued that what was missing from the film was the inclusion of Mancini, who directed the previous three entries and wrote all seven of the films in the franchise. And of course, Chucky has become almost as iconic as the tiny serial killer himself. The inclusion of Hamill as the voice of the character was an interesting change, but ultimately the Star Wars legend was no match for the familiar crazed cackle of Dourif’s Chucky. In terms of box office, the reboot is the fourth highest grossing film in the series, which is likely far from what Orion had originally hoped for it.

RELATED:The Child's Play Series Is Returning To The Unused Concept For The Original The Original Film

While speaking with Den of Geek recently, Mancini discussed his initial fear of two Child’s Play franchises running concurrently after he was pushed out of the reboot along with Dourif. The general lack of success of the reboot has meant that sequels are an unlikely prospect and with the new Chucky TV series just over a month away, Mancini appears to have still managed to come out on top. As he explained, he never felt any ill will toward the reboot’s filmmakers, but the fact that the film didn’t quite hit the mark was a bit of a relief. Read what Dourif said below:

“I never bore any kind of ire toward the filmmakers themselves because I know that they were doing their jobs and it was an exciting opportunity to get a toehold in the industry with a franchise character. I get that. But at the same time, I’m relieved how it all worked out.”

It’s hard to blame Mancini for his reaction to the lack of interest in the reboot. After all, he not only came up with the concept of a wise cracking, murderous doll, but he also kept the series going long after it seemed that the novelty had worn off. The fact of the matter is that while Child’s Play and its concept might not be to everyone’s taste, Mancini has managed to maintain a solid fanbase over the years, and the Chucky TV series looks as though it’s set to take things in a new direction. Naturally, the idea of a serial killer doll will still persist in the series, but this time around, there are some real-world issues to focus on as well as a cast that features teenage protagonists.

Just how well Chucky does remains to be seen, but from a genuine horror perspective, it does appear to take things back to a less gimmicky time for the franchise. Mancini has previously mentioned that Chucky was inspired by the tone of Child’s Play 2, which was still in the franchise’s earlier years - before it became more reliant on humor over scares. Whatever the case, with the Child’s Play reboot safely out of the way, Mancini is once again free to push his franchise in new directions for a new generation of horror.

[Silent Watcher]

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