Yes, the headline is correct. But wait for the best news: John Hyams is directing while William Lustig and Nicholas Winding Refn produce!
Maniac Cop (1988) was a little low budget horror thriller featuring Bruce Campbell about a freak monstruos killer dressed in a police uniform who begins murdering innocent people on the streets of New York City. The film became an instant b-movies classic and had two sequels, Maniac Cop 2 (1990) and Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence (1993), being the trilogy be formed by the same tandem behind the cameras of director William Lustig and screen writer Larry Cohen.
There are still many things unknown about this new Maniac Cop production, since it was just made public yesterday it was green lit. There are no news about the cast, not even rumors, about who is going to play deranged murderer Matt Cordell, who are going to be the heroes of this new adeptation, or if Bruce Campbell is going to be back to the series even in the form of a cameo; something that us the fans would be totaly delighted to see happening. But what we know is John Hyams is going to direct. Heis well known for being an expert in explosive action thrillers, which is a big influence from his father, director Peter Hyams. He has directed Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009) and Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012), besides having a long background in short films, documentaries and TV series.
And the third part in the trio responsable of this rebirth for Maniac Cop is Nicholas Winding Refn, this time taking the task of producer. He is one of the better considered filmmakers of the moment thanks to titles like Drive (2011), Only God Forgives (2013) or the most recent The Neon Demon (2016). For sure his participation in the film will bring wonderful images to the sordid horror thriller theme.
So, after these lines, are you as excited as I am about this new Maniac Cop? Surely it won’t turn out being another lame sugar-coated Hollywood remake, although producers have stated the action would go more in the paths of a sordid thriller and not so much as a horror flick. Still, the potential is here! Besides, can you imagine seeing Bruce Campbell, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren together in a Maniac Cop film? Woah, I have no idea if that can be possible, but at least since yesterday we have the right to dream!
Check out the trailer for original Maniac Cop (1988):
