Summary
- Jeremy Carver, known for his work on Doom Patrol and Supernatural, has been hired as the writer for Jordan Peele’s The People Under the Stairs remake.
- Carver’s ability to blend genres and stay true to source material makes him a promising addition to the project.
- The involvement of Peele suggests that the remake will explore relevant themes, similar to the acclaimed Candyman sequel.
With three years gone since it was first announced, Jordan Peele’s The People Under the Stairs remake has found its writer. Wes Craven’s 1991 original horror-comedy centered on a young boy and two adults from a Los Angeles ghetto who attempt to break into the house of their landlords to steal a collection of gold coins, only to become trapped as they discover their dark secrets. Garnering generally positive reviews and a strong box office haul, the movie has since become a cult classic for its themes of gentrification and classism, leading to various attempts at a remake, including from Craven himself, until Peele began development on one in 2020.
Deadline has brought word that Peele’s The People Under the Stairs remake has found its writer in Jeremy Carver. Best known for developing and showrunning Doom Patrol for Max, Carver also was a showrunner on three seasons of Supernatural, as well as developing and co-showrunning the American remake of Being Human, with his hiring for the movie marking his feature-film debut. Even with Carver now on board, sources report the project is still in “early development.”
Why Carver Is A Great Choice For People Under The Stairs
Should the project get off the ground, The People Under the Stairs would be the first update of a Wes Craven movie in just over a decade, with the last being the infamous Nightmare on Elm Street reboot, as well as the first since the filmmaker’s death. It would also continue a unique career trend of Peele’s in revitalizing old properties, having previously co-developed and been the narrator for CBS All Access’ The Twilight Zone and co-writing/producing 2021’s Candyman legacy sequel.
Peele co-wrote Candyman with his producing partner Win Rosenfeld and director Nia DaCosta, who recently set the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a Black female director with The Marvels release.
While it remains unclear if Peele will have any co-writing credit on the movie, hiring Carver for The People Under the Stairs remake is a very promising addition for the project. Across his filmography, the writer has frequently displayed a strong grasp on blending genres together, particularly with the recently concluded Doom Patrol, which saw everything from psychedelic comedy to family drama and superhero action. Similarly, his past experience on Supernatural displayed balancing the more horror-centric elements of the fan-favorite show with its comedic character moments and dramatic development.
Additionally, Carver’s ability to adapt various properties while staying true to their source materials should give some assurance to fans of The People Under the Stairs that the remake will stay true to Craven’s cult classic original. The joint involvement of Peele will also see many of the original’s themes made all the more prescient as evidenced by his Candyman sequel retaining the same explorations of gentrification while adding law enforcement abuse for a more modern setting. With the project still in early development, there are still a lot of unknowns about the remake, but with it having finally found a writer after three years, it does show signs of making strong progress.
Source: Deadline
