Zelda Williams, the daughter of the legendary Robin Williams, is set to make her feature directorial debut with Lisa Frankenstein, working from a screenplay Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning writer of Juno. Production is expected to begin later this summer, and it has been announced that the film is going to star Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies) and Cole Sprouse (Riverdale).
Lisa Frankenstein is coming to us from Focus Features and has the following synopsis:
Set in 1989, an unpopular high schooler accidentally re-animates a handsome Victorian corpse during a lightning storm and starts to rebuild him into the man of her dreams using the broken tanning bed in her garage.
It sounds like this twist on the Frankenstein story will have a strong comedic element, which is fitting for these collaborators. Williams previously directed a horror comedy short called Kappa Kappa Die (which was scripted by Piranha 3D writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg). Cody wrote Jennifer’s Body, a great horror movie that also had a good sense of humor. (Cody did revisions on the 2013 version of Evil Dead as well.) Newton starred in the really fun slasher comedy Freaky. And coincidentally, Cole Sprouse and his twin brother Dylan played a kid who was called Julian “Frankenstein” McGrath in the Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy.
Cody is producing Lisa Frankenstein with Mason Novick of MXN Entertainment. Cody and Novick previously worked together on Tully, Young Adult, Jennifer’s Body, and Juno. Jeff Lampert serves as executive producer, while Focus Features’ Vice President of Production and Development, Michelle Momplaisir, is the creative executive on the project.
That’s all the information we have on Lisa Frankenstein at this time, but the names involved and the ’80s setting are enough to get me interested. How does this project sound to you? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.