If you’ve seen any of Rob Zombie’s films, you’d never think he’d make a movie for an entire family to experience, but it looks like Hell has frozen over just so Rob Zombie can make a passion project no matter what his fanbase will think. Of course the film stars his wife Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily Munster, as well as a slew of B to C-list Hollywood actors who can give great performances, but mainstream Hollywood overlooks them anyways. It seems like Rob Zombie casts actors not only because of budget reasons; it’s more like he wants to work with people who are making a living, rather than demanding a multi-million dollar contract.
Jeff Daniel Phillips, who was in Rob Zombie’s two previous films — 3 From Hell (2019) and The Lords Of Salem (2012) — stars as the goofy Herman Munster. And the more familiar Daniel Roebuck will be playing Grandpa Munster. Unlike the original television series, it seems the kids will not be in the picture. The film will be a prequel to the original television series. “The greatest love story ever told“: Lily first meets Herman, much to the chagrin of Grandpa.
For years, ever since the success of The Devil’s Rejects (2005), Rob Zombie has been trying to direct a Hockey film, but no studio, or production company was willing to give him money to make it. Another film he planned was a biopic about the last days of Groucho Marx, but again, no studio would give him the funds to do so. And obviously he had to turn to the horror remake of Halloween (2007), and it’s sequel in 2009. He did a fine job with the first remake about the infamous Michael Myers, but the second one I found to be a bit much. Rob Zombie seemed to just say, “Action,” and make sure the check cleared.
The Munsters will be released in September of this year on Netflix. Yes, it’s campy. Yes, it looks somewhat cringeworthy. But it’s Rob Zombie giving the filmgoing world his kind of PG-rated movie. That is pretty funny in and of itself. Fun Fact: Rob Zombie’s first job in the industry was as a Production Assistant for Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
Below is Rob Zombie on the Joe Rogan Experience telling the story of how Universal Studios originally paid for the budget for House of 1,000 Corpses (2003), but refused to distribute it after seeing the first cut. Of course, 20 years later they’re distributing the family friendly The Munsters.
