Sleepy Hollow reboot is happening at Paramount Pictures with rising filmmaker Lindsey Beer attached to write, produce, and direct, Deadline reports. The plot details are being kept under wraps, and it’s unknown if the project will be a feature film or television series. Todd Garner and Spencer Walken of Broken Road Productions are producing the new Sleepy Hollow adaptation. So far, no one from the 1999 film, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, is involved in the reboot. But that’s not to say they can’t return, especially now that Depp has earned some goodwill in Hollywood after winning his defamation suit against ex-wife Amber Heard.
Sleepy Hollow is based on Washington Irving’s 1820 gothic short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The story follows Ichabod Crane, a schoolmaster who settles in Sleepy Hollow, a village terrorized by a mysterious headless horseman. Irving reportedly took inspiration for the story from the real Hessian soldier who was decapitated by cannon fire during the Revolutionary War.
The Tim Burton film took significant liberties with the source material and portrayed Crane as a New York City police detective investigating a series of murders in Sleepy Hollow. However, the film was well-received upon its release, grossing over $200 million worldwide. Featuring Burton’s signature gothic visuals and an underrated Johnny Depp performance, Sleepy Hollow has become a Halloween classic since its release. The film also starred Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, and Christopher Lee.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of the most well-known gothic stories and has been adapted into films, television, and theatre numerous times, the most recent of which is Fox’s supernatural horror series, Sleepy Hollow. Created by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Phillip Iscove, and Len Wiseman, the show ran for four seasons from 2013 to 2017 before it was canceled. Sleepy Hollow (2013) featured a contemporary setting and received mostly positive reviews from critics who praised its production values and action.
It remains to be seen how Paramount’s new Sleepy Hollow reboot differentiates itself from previous adaptations. Will it also be set in the modern-day, or will it be a more faithful retelling of Irving’s short story? Stay tuned for more updates regarding the project.
Lindsey Beer Is Taking Hollywood By Storm
Lindsey Beer is a rising Hollywood filmmaker who is currently involved in several major film and TV productions. Beer rose to fame for writing the 2018 Netflix teen-comedy Sierra Burgess Is a Loser. She has since become one of the most sought-after writers in the industry and is penning the screenplays of Paramount’s Star Trek 4, Disney’s Bambi remake, and New Line’s Hello Kitty movie. Beer also contributed to the scripts of Godzilla vs. Kong, Chaos Walking, the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot, and the canceled Silver Sable movie.
As of now, Lindsey Beer is serving as the creator/writer of Netflix’s The Magic Order series, based on Mark Millar’s comic book series of the same name. She will also make her directorial debut with the upcoming Pet Sematary prequel. The currently untitled project is set before the events of Stephen King’s 1983 novel and stars Pan Grier, Jackson White, Jack Mulhern, Henry Thomas, and Natalie Alyn Lind. Beer seems to have impressed the studio with her skills, as last month, she signed an overall deal with Paramount.
Considering Beer’s busy schedule, it’ll be a while before the Sleepy Hollow reboot arrives. But fans will be able to check out her original take on Pet Sematary when it premieres on Paramount+ sometime this year.