A very interesting update on a project that’s been dormant for well over a decade: Nicolas Winding Refn‘s remake of “Maniac Cop” is apparently eyeing a 2026 shoot.
“Nic has it as his next project, that will shoot in the fall,” original “Maniac Cop” director William Lustig, who is executive producing the remake, tells Icons of Fright.
Not only is the project moving forward, but Lustig says it now has a distributor, which “will be announced very soon.” As for whether Refn and “Maniac Cop” are a good match, I think they could be—after all, the original already leans on Refn hallmarks: neon-soaked visuals, stylized violence, and an almost mythic central figure.
Originally developed as a feature before being reshaped into an HBO series, the latest reimagining of the 1988 cult slasher is now back in development as a theatrical film. At one point, the project had John Hyams (“Sick, Alone”) attached to direct from a script by comic-book heavyweight Ed Brubaker (“The Winter Soldier”), with Refn only producing.
The original “Maniac Cop” follows a string of brutal murders in New York City seemingly carried out by a uniformed officer, with suspicion falling on young cop Jack Forrest after his wife is killed. Lieutenant Frank McCrae is tasked to investigate the growing body count, and he begins to suspect a deeper conspiracy within the department.
What’s even more surprising about this development is that Refn, who hasn’t released a feature in ten years, has another film in the can: “Her Private Hell” starring Sophie Thatcher in the lead role, and that one is rumored to premiere at Cannes in May.
Refn’s last movie, “The Neon Demon” (2016), divided audiences with its dreamlike, body-horror aesthetic. His most notable works include “Drive,” “Bronson,” and the ‘Pusher’ trilogy.
So there's a script. That's something. It looks as though “The Movie Critic” really is dead and buried, and that this is a brand-new project, and title, but the premise is unknown.