"They're here."
No two, simple words were ever said with a more creepily cheerful inflection than those two delivered by Heather O'Rourke in 1982. And today we get our first look at the Sam Raimi-produced "Poltergeist" remake that was directed by Gil Kenan ("Monster House"). The images show off some familiar visuals in the film such as the iconic haunted TV scenes, the frightening clown doll (which effectively traumatized a generation of kids), and a little girl being pulled away from her parents while she is being sucked into another dimension.
Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt star in the film as a parents who move into a new home that is haunted by a supernatural force that threatens their family, more specifically, their little girl Madison, who is played by 8-year-old Kennedi Clements.
The photos come from a piece at USA Today, and this is what Kenan had to say about the film: "Whenever someone approaches material that's so beloved, there's a reflexive reaction to be worried. It's a responsibility we take very seriously. We're working to make a 'Poltergeist' film that lives up to the original's legacy."
"Unlike the traditional horror film, I wanted to put together a cast to give weight and reality to these characters...it's the way to anchor the family," he continued. "It's such an emotional story at the core. Parents fighting to get their child back from the beyond."
Raimi also spoke about the inspiration behind the movie, and how it has been updated to fit the world that we now live in: "The original film commented on how we've let television get out of control, babysitting our kids. It's only gotten worse with the handheld portable devices. Screens are everywhere."
Once the family finds themselves caught up in the madness of this paranormal world, they enlist a respected supernatural researcher and clairvoyant (portrayed here by Jared Harris) for assistance. The director explained, "The thing that keeps them a family is what they have to draw on, to stay sane, and also to win Madison back. The film is super-scary. And it's scary on its own terms. I am excited to finally be able to share that with the world."
The movie will be in theaters on July 24, and the first trailer is supposed to hit the interwebs tomorrow. Check out the cool images from the film below: