Something strange is stirring again in the halls of The Faculty. A remake of the 1998 sci-fi horror film is clawing its way into production, this time with Robert Rodriguez—yes, the man who first unleashed this high school nightmare—returning to oversee the madness. But don’t expect him to sit in the director’s chair this time; he’s wisely passing that torch (or maybe flamethrower) while keeping a watchful eye on the carnage. The original film, penned by Scream mastermind Kevin Williamson, turned Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, and Shawn Hatosy into paranoid teens battling something far worse than bad cafeteria food.
Drew Hancock, the twisted mind behind Companion—a sci-fi thriller poised to ruin weekend getaways when it hits theaters this weekend via Warner Bros.—has been chosen to write the updated version. His latest film, starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid, revolves around a trip that goes so catastrophically wrong you have to wonder if the characters even checked the Yelp reviews first.
The original Faculty had a simple, time-honored lesson: If you witness a nurse getting murdered, and then see her strolling around like nothing happened, maybe don’t assume it’s just another weird day at school. Elijah Wood’s character didn’t take the hint, and what followed was a slow descent into paranoia, alien conspiracies, and probably the worst parent-teacher conference imaginable.
Rodriguez, a man who has spent his career proving that practical effects, stylized violence, and sheer audacity can take you far, first co-produced The Faculty alongside Elizabeth Avellan. He’s the mastermind behind Sin City, Alita: Battle Angel, and Desperado, not to mention the Spy Kids series, which somehow made over $550 million worldwide—proving that kids, too, have an appetite for stylish chaos. More recently, he dabbled in the Star Wars universe with The Book of Boba Fett, which means he knows a thing or two about reviving cult favorites.
The new Faculty falls under the wicked gaze of BoulderLight, the production company that helped bring Barbarian—the film that made everyone afraid of Airbnb—to life. With a team like this, one thing is certain: School is back in session, and this time, the curriculum is survival.