Camp Vampire Classic Lifeforce To Be Remade As TV Movie

1985 cult favourite ‘Lifeforce’ is to be remade in the form of a TV movie, US network Chiller have announced.

Produced by the notorious Cannon Films and directed by legendary horror filmmaker Tobe Hooper (’The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ ‘Poltergeist’), the sci-fi horror epic - based on the novel ‘The Space Vampires’ by the late Colin Wilson (who hated the film) - has gathered a huge following as one of the most outrageously over-the-top movies ever made.

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‘Lifeforce’ centres on a vampire from outer space played by Mathilda May. Unwittingly brought back down to Earth by astronauts exploring Haley’s Comet, the alien vampire sets out to take over the world, sucking up the life energy of humans and turning them into zombies, leading to an apocalyptic finale in central London.

An expensive flop on release, the cult status of ‘Lifeforce’ is largely down to its wonderfully bizarre premise, melodramatic performances (including a memorable cameo from Patrick Stewart) - and, perhaps most notably, the fact that Mathilda May is completely naked for almost the entirety of her screen time.

No casting or director have been named for Chiller’s new take on ‘Lifeforce,’ but it will be produced by Steve B. Harris, a producer on the upcoming ‘Amityville: The Awakening’ and the in-development ‘Friday the 13th’ TV series. Mark Altman (Castle, Neccessary Roughness) and Mark Gottwald (DOA: Dead or Alive) will co-produce.

A small screen ‘Lifeforce’ has been on the cards for some time, with a potential TV series having at first been touted back in 2013.

In the same announcement, Chiller unveiled plans for another TV movie, ‘Siren’ - a feature-length adaptation/spin-off of the short film ‘Amateur Night’ featured in 2012 anthology horror movie ‘V/H/S’ - and ‘Slasher,’ an original TV series (the network’s first) intended to blend the murder mystery and slasher movie genres.

While ‘Siren’ is expected to air in the US in early 2016, ‘Lifeforce’ and ‘Slasher’ are expected later this year.

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Picture Credit: TriStar