After giving us a sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep, and a new addition to The Exorcist franchise in the can, Mike Flanagan is proving himself a brave filmmaker who can take on any cinematic staple and deliver. What then might a Jaws or Jurassic World movie look like with the director at the helm? As both are properties he’d love to have a crack at.
During a Reddit AMA, the showrunner for the new Carrie series was asked which other franchise he’d like to dive into, and what it would be, leading Flanagan to pick two of the massive suggestions that both started under the lens of Steven Spielberg.
“It’s so funny to me because I spent a lot of my career thinking I wouldn’t do franchises or sequels, and – whoops – but I really love getting to play in a world I know and respect and adore, and put my own spin on it,” he explained. “Honestly, I wish to hell I could make a Jaws movie. Another example where no one will EVER get close to the original, but there is a ton of room for improvement on the sequels. A Jurassic movie could be a blast too; I’d want to go really scary with it. A true dinosaur horror film would be a blast.”
Flanagan has spent a lot of time scaring audiences with supernatural entities, so it’d be an interesting shift for him to put the fear in us with either dinosaurs or a humongous, toothy fish. The former is more likely, since in August it was revealed (via Deadline) that director Gareth Edwards would be parting with the franchise after Jurassic World Rebirth, due to a dino-killer more lethal than any asteroid: creative differences. Since then, it’s been rumored that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom director J.A. Bayona could be back to give us a tour instead, according to The Wrap.
While we’re not against Bayona returning to let T-Rexes loose, a Flanagan-directed dino jaunt could bring something different. Please, Universal, spare no expense and give him a shot. He’s ever so good at getting us in the feels while also making us fear for our lives.
In the meantime, we can see how Flanagan fares with demonic children and possessions next year, when his new movie, The Exorcist: Martyrs, arrives on March 12, 2027. For extra scares, check out our guide to every upcoming horror film here.