The 1957 horror story The Fly has led to a number of adaptations over the years. This includes one particularly iconic film that body horror legend David Cronenberg directed in 1986. Now, however, a new adaptation of The Fly is reportedly in the works – with Zendaya set to star.
It was previously reported that 20th Century Fox hoped to release a new take on The Fly. Of course, with Disney having acquired the company, it was unclear what became of the project. GFR reports that it’s still happening under 20th Century Studios.
Additionally, director J.D. Dillard, who was previously attached to the pre-Disney version of the film, is still signed on to direct. Plot details for his take are unknown at this moment in time. But with Zendaya also said to be attached as “the lead character,” fans will certainly be eager to know more.
The previous adaptations of the story focused on the same basic premise. Scientists experiment with teleportation and end up becoming spliced with fly DNA. It resulted in an iconic 1950s monster – a man with an oversized fly-head – and two sequels. It also set the stage for Cronenberg’s much darker remake.
For that particular iteration, Jeff Goldblum played Dr. Seth Brundle, who gradually mutates into a massive human-fly hybrid throughout the film. It’s a sickeningly awesome display of practical effects and the film has since been considered one of the greatest remakes of all-time. A sequel followed in 1989 though the film franchise has been dormant since.
Zendaya is often recognized for her work in Marvel’s Spider-Man film franchise. As such, The Fly will mark quite a change in pace for Zendaya. Director J.D. Dillinger is known for the 2022 film Devotion.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates on this version of The Fly as we have them. It’s certainly an interesting property to see Disney tackle next. One can only hope there will be more details made available soon.