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The H.P. Lovecraft story Herbert West: Reanimator previously served as the inspiration for 1985's Re-Animator, one of the most beloved horror cult classics of its era. More than four decades later, the franchise is being rebooted with an all-new feature film, and its first look has been unveiled.
Called Herbert West: Reanimator, the new movie will star Joseph Morgan (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals) as the titular mad scientist. Katie Cassidy (Arrow, A Nightmare on Elm Street) co-stars as a pathologist serving as Dr. West's assistant for his experiments involving reanimating the dead back to life. Per Deadline, the first look at Morgan and Cassidy in these roles can be seen in the images below.
Joseph Morgan Is the New Herbert West
“I’m beyond excited to be taking on the role of Herbert West, a man inspired by the mysteries of life, obsessed with conquering death, and haunted by the consequences of his own ambition," Morgan said about his casting. "Inhabiting this emotionally complex character is truly one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Alongside the undeniable creative satisfaction I’m discovering every day on set, it’s also turning out to be a hell of a lot of fun.”
Cassidy added, "I am excited to step back into this genre. It’s been awhile since I have done horror. I loved the original film and this has a dark twist, which I am excited to sink my teeth into.”
Michael Grossman is directing Herbert West: Reanimator using a screenplay by Jade Sandberg Wallace. Morgan and Cassidy are executive producing, while Jeff Lewis is producing. Other stars attached to the cast include Scott Aiello, Ira J Amyx, Randall Newsome, Emma Reinagal, James D. Bryce, Kathryn A Bentley, Jack Lancaster, Amy Holland Pennell, John Pierson, Mindy Shaw, Eric Dean White, Tristan Wilder Hallet, Adrienne Lamping, Aaron Crippen, and Drew Patterson.
The Story by H.P. Lovecraft Gets Reimagined
“As a child, Herbert West watches his father Peter reanimate his dead mother Judith in a secret basement lab — only for Judith to mortally wound Peter and nearly kill Herbert before Peter shoots her," the full synopsis for the reboot reads. "The trauma leaves its mark on Herbert, but so does one final image: his mother’s finger, twitching after death. Thirty years later, Herbert West is a brilliant, secretive surgeon still chasing his father’s obsession."
It continues, "Pathologist Kate Locke arrives in town and is drawn into his orbit — first through a spark at a hospital fundraiser, then through his secret lab, where he reveals a serum capable of reanimating severed tissue. Kate, hiding a dark past of her own, is thrilled rather than horrified, and moves into West’s mansion to work alongside him. Their early experiments on a cadaver succeed only briefly. West concludes that dead tissue is the problem — they need something fresher.”
H.P. Lovecraft's original short story was published in 1922. Its most famous adaptation was 1985's Re-Animator by director Stuart Gordon. That movie starred Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, while Barbara Crampton co-starred. Combs later reprised the role for two sequels: 1990's Bride of Re-Animator and 2003's Beyond Re-Animator. In 2017, an unconnected Italian adaptation dubbed Herbert West: Re-Animator was also released with Emanuele Cerman playing the titular role.
Herbert West: Reanimator does not yet have a set release date.
