‘Child’s Play’: Why The Series’ Creator Has Disowned The Remake

MGM and director Lars Klevberg’s “Child’s Play” is now playing in theaters, and is enjoying a somewhat more positive reception than horror remakes usually get. One person who is very much not okay with the new take on the classic killer doll Chucky is the homicidal toy’s creator himself: Don Mancini.

In several public statements made after the remake was announced in 2018, Mancini made it abundantly clear that he would have no part in the project and had vigorously denied it any sort of blessing. Speaking to fellow horror-filmmaker Mick Garris on the “Post Mortem” podcast in December, Mancini made the situation clear.

“We said no thank you because we have our ongoing thriving business with Chucky,” Mancini said. “Obviously my feelings were hurt... And I did create the character and nurture the franchise for three...decades. So, when someone says, ‘Oh yeah, we would love to have your name on the film...’ it was hard not to feel like I was being patronized. They just wanted our approval. Which I strenuously denied them.”

Mancini wrote the script for the original “Child’s Play” while still studying film at the University of California in Los Angeles. He shares a final co-credit with the 1988 film’s director, Tom Holland. Since then, he has written and produced the first six follow-ups in the series, from 1990-2017, and served as director for the three most recent installments: “Seed of Chucky” in 2004, “Curse of Chucky” in 2013, and “Cult of Chucky” in 2017.

Mancini’s frustrations seem to stem from both the lack of involvement he perceived the remake’s producers as wanting from him, as well the project interfering with his own continuing investment in the character he created. Mancini has been working on a “Child’s Play” television series since early 2018, which will include Chucky’s long-term original voice actor, Brad Dourif.

The new “Child’s Play” is a modernized take on the original story, starring Aubrey Plaza, Brian Tyree Henry, Gabriel Bateman, and the great Mark Hamill as the new voice of Chucky.

"Child's Play" is currently playing in theaters nationwide.