In an age where every nearly every film seems to be a remake or a sequel, plenty of horror fans are wondering whether or not the recent reboot of Child’s Play is really necessary. And while people will likely have very different opinions on that, Mark Hamill has assured fans at a recent press conference for the movie that it absolutely is.
Speaking to a room full of journalists, he explained why his take on Chucky is different than any that have come before, saying:
“They sent me the script, and I thought the crucial element that was different from the original – which I liked, and I’m a huge fan of Brad [Dourif]’s interpretation – is in this one, Chucky has a different origin. So, it’s not the soul of a serial killer, [it’s] that someone deliberately goes in and alters his operating system and takes off the safety measures. So, he was really like an innocent child, really just learning from what goes on around him. That was crucial… Also, the age of the boy; he was like 5 or 6 [in the original]. Gabriel plays a character who’s a young teenager, and that was a fundamental difference from the original.”
Despite all of the differences, the premise is still mainly the same. There’s a killer doll who will stop at nothing to cause harm. The reviews so far have been mixed, but there are plenty of diehard fans who came to their respective theaters in full cosplay for the premiere.
Hamill has already expressed how intimidating it was to take on the role of such an iconic character. This may be surprising for some, considering that the onscreen legend has already portrayed both Luke Skywalker and the Joker for years, but nonetheless shows how badly the actor wants to impress the audience. So far, many people have heralded his performance as the best thing about the movie.
While the slasher film isn’t likely to outshine Toy Story 4, the much more kid-friendly flick about toys that debuts the same weekend, it’s still expected to perform relatively well at the box office. If all goes smoothly, Hamill may find himself at the forefront of yet another money-making franchise in the form of Child’s Play.