‘Magic’ – Sam Raimi Producing Remake of 1970s Killer Doll Cult Classic

The 1970s cult classic Magic starring Anthony Hopkins is getting a remake, with Bloody Disgusting learning this afternoon that Sam Raimi will produce alongside Roy Lee.

The “newly imagined” take on the 1978 killer doll movie comes courtesy of Lionsgate, with Chris Hammond and Tim Sullivan also on board to produce the upcoming movie.

The project will be written by Mark Swift & Damian Shannon (Freddy vs. Jason, Send Help).

The original Magic starred Anthony Hopkins as Corky, a magician who reaches fame alongside his ventriloquist’s dummy, the obnoxious and wisecracking Fats—whom Corky cannot control.

Also starring Ann-Margret and Burgess Meredith, directed by Richard Attenborough, and written by William Goldman, based on his novel, the movie made waves even before its release with its terrifying TV ads, which declared, “Magic is fun—we’re dead.”

Meredith Wieck and Pavan Kalidindi are overseeing the project for Lionsgate.

Meagan Navarro wrote here on Bloody Disgusting back in 2023, “Magic is an underappreciated classic and one of horror’s most unnerving love stories.” Her 45th anniversary piece continued, “Magic wasn’t the first time that a ventriloquist was terrorized by his own dummy, but its emphasis on the psychological, Hopkins’ intense performance, and Attenborough opting for straightforward tension without a hint of camp elevated the film into something that holds up well. Moreover, Magic served as direct inspiration for Don Mancini’s original screenplay for Child’s Play, fittingly released almost a decade apart to the day. The story of Corky and Fats may not be as well known, but the influence of Magic is still strong to this day.”

Watch the original 1978 trailer for Magic below and stay tuned.

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