Maniac Cop


Follows one determined female cop who's set out to reveal the truth after the LAPD attempts a cover up when innocent people are brutally murdered on the streets by a uniformed police officer.

How excited are you to see this movie?: 
Average: 3.3 (1370 votes)


CURRENT STATUS: 
Development Hell

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PROJECT DETAILS:

This project took a turn back in 2019 when it was announced that the filmmakers were looking to make this into a series instead of a movie, which was scooped up by HBO. However, before filming could take place Covid happened, halting production. It seems that everyone involved have since moved on to other projects. While the movie version is dead, the series may still move forward at some point in the future, but only time will tell. (1/5/24)

Though the last update suggested that the project was no longer moving forward, director John Hyams says otherwise in a recent interview: "it'd seem like nothing's happening, but actually quite a bit is happening with [Maniac Cop]. We've been working on it for a few years now, with some starts and stops. But it is going to happen. Right now, Nic Refn, our producer, who is an amazing filmmaker and a really great guy - he's stuck by me this whole time and hasn't let up, which I'm deeply thankful for and inspired by - is getting everything set. But between Ed Brubaker and myself, we are developing it, and it actually just took an interesting turn recently. This is all stuff I'm going to be able to talk about a little more in the coming months, but things are definitely coming together on it. Nicolas is doing his show for Amazon right now (Too Old To Die Young) but then after that and my own series, it is going to happen." (3/26/18)

Despite the last update it appears that the movie never began filming over the summer like planned and the original film's writer Larry Cohen seems to believe it's not happening anymore. He was quoted saying: "…as far as I know, he [producer Nicolas Winding Refn] was the one trying to get the money raised to make the picture, and he didn’t get it, so now it’s not happening. Adding... Ed Brubaker wrote the script, and I’ve read the script, and it’s not very good. Ed Brubaker is a very good writer of comic books, I think. But if he’s written a good script for a movie, I haven’t read it. I wrote six new scenes for the picture, based on what I’d read. And, had I written the whole script, the movie would probably be happening, as the script would be good." He goes on to describe a bit of the script, saying: “…it’s a lot like that Bob Hoskins movie [Neil Jordan’s Mona Lisa (’86)], where he’s driving prostitutes around and then waiting out in the car while they do their business in hotels with the Johns. It’s a direct lift from that, and then turns into a new Maniac Cop…” (10/11/17)

Casting is underway, with filming set to begin in the summer of 2017 in LA. (3/24/17)

It's said that this will be more of a contemporary realistic action thriller than a straight forward horror film.

Apparently this project took so long to move forward because it took some time to secure the film rights, find the right director, partners, and get the financing in place.

Filming was originally aimed to begin in Los Angeles sometime in the summer of 2016. (5/16/16)

Filming was originally aimed to begin sometime in Spring 2016 in New York City. (9/30/15)

Director John Hyams was quoted saying: "I’m a huge admirer of both producers and I’d been looking to do something that bridges the gap between action and horror like this. The script is able to re-invent the original with the same mythology.  We had thought about shooting in the fall, but we decided on the spring to give ourselves enough time to get the best cast and crew." (9/30/15)

Directed by John Hyams (Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning).

Writer Ed Brubaker also scripted the concept and story behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Nicolas Winding Refn (Pusher trilogy, Drive) will produce.

Original director William Lustig returns, but in a producing capacity.

Original writer Larry Cohen was attached to script when the project was still going to be a prequel. At the time it's said that the film would maintain the noir-ish comic book feel of the first three films but with a bigger budget.

This project originally started out as a prequel to the 1988 film, but has since turned into remake.


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