MGM’sChild’s Playreboothas found its leads on FX, apparently, asAubrey Plaza(Legion) andBrian Tyree Henry(Atlanta) are in negotiations to star in the killer doll movie, Collider has exclusively learned.
Lars Klevberg, who directed the as-yet-unreleased horror moviePolaroid, is set to direct from a script byTyler Burton Smith(Kung Fury 2).ItproducersDavid KatzenbergandSeth Grahame-Smithwill produce via their KatzSmith Productions banner, whileAaron Schmidtwill serve as an executive producer. Production will start soon in Vancouver.
The contemporary reboot is believed to follow a group of kids (a laItandStranger Things), and a technologically-advanced doll that enters their world. The original 1988 movie followed a serial killer named Charles Lee Ray who casts a spell that traps his soul inside the body of a Good Guy doll named Chucky, which is then given to a young boy.
There are seven films in theChild’s Playfranchise, which introduced more and more comedic one-liners as the series went along. It’s unclear whether this reboot will embrace that sense of humor, or return to the darker roots of the original film.Tom Hollanddirected that horror classic, which starredAlex Vincentas young Andy Barclay,Catherine Hicksas his mother, andChris Sarandonas a detective.
This time around, sources say Plaza will play the mother, while Henry is likely playing the detective, though the latter’s role remains unconfirmed at this time. The newChild’s Playmovie is an interesting choice for both actors, whose casting should be considered a coup for the project.
Plaza is coming off the acclaimed indie movieIngrid Goes West, and she has also earned rave reviews for her turn as Lenny oppositeDan StevensonLegion. TheParks and Recreationalum’s other feature credits includeSafety Not Guaranteed,Scott Pilgrim vs. the Worldand the under-seen indie gemMystery Team, led by Plaza’s NYU classmate and Henry’sAtlantaco-starDonald Glover.
Meanwhile, Henry is a two-time Emmy nominee who, in the span of just a few years, has become one of the busiest actors in Hollywood, with four solid feature credits to his name in 2018 alone. Not only does he have supporting roles inSteve McQueen’sWidowsandBarry Jenkins’If Beale Street Could Talk, but he recently appeared inDrew Pearce’sHotel Artemisand can currently be seen inYann Demange’sWhite Boy Rick. You’ll also hear him voice Miles Morales' father in the upcoming animated movieSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. In addition to all that, he spent the summer filmingSuperintelligencewithMelissa McCarthy, and he plays another detective inJoe Wright’sThe Woman in the Window, which pairs him with an all-star cast includingAmy Adams,Julianne Moore,Gary OldmanandAnthony Mackie.
Both Plaza and Henry are represented by CAA, where they share the same agent. Plaza is also repped by MGMT Entertainment and Schreck Rose, while Henry is also repped by JWS Entertainment and attorney Darren M. Trattner.
