Sam Raimi’s Remake of Magic Has One Big Advantage: Sam Raimi Himself

Lionsgate turned to the creator of the Evil Dead franchise and the director of the 2000s Spider-Man trilogy for another horror-induced remake after almost five decades, and we cannot stop ourselves from thinking it might be a combo of Evil Dead and Black Swan (2010), as this is (drum roll) Sam Raimi himself!

According to Deadline, Sam Raimi’s remake of Magic, which was directed by Richard Attenborough in 1978 and based on William Goldman’s novel, will be about a malicious puppet, Fats, controlled by a ventriloquist, then played by Anthony Hopkins (Locked), or vice versa. He had a chance to find the love of his life, but things got nasty, for which Hopkins gave a tour de force performance, as always.

The producer of It (2017) and Weapons (2025), Roy Lee, is on board for producing Magic’s remake, alongside Raimi, Chris Hammond, and Tim Sullivan. Zainan Azizi from Raimi Productions has also been added to the list of producers. Executive producers include Nathan Kahane, Paul Fishkin, and Andrew Childs. 

Reports also confirm that the project is written by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, who have reunited with Raimi and Azizi from Send Help (2026) for 20th Century Studios. 

Adam Fogelson from Lionsgate Motion Picture Group said, 

“Sam is the dream director for this project—in fact, his coming aboard represents one of the truly great matches of director and material. The script is fantastic, and we could not be more excited to see Sam’s direction and creative vision take it to another level.” [Source]

Why is Sam Raimi’s remake of Magic earning fans’ trust? 

Looking back at Sam Raimi’s experience with the Evil Dead franchise, we all know Magic’s remake could be much darker and more visually chaotic. Though Raimi has touched superhero and psychological territories as well, there is something special about the Evil Dead universe. 

Raimi’s horror gives a theatrical madness and turns the dread into hysteria, making the situation alive. The violent scenes tend to carry the weight, and unlike modern horror directors who thrive on intense camera movements and psychological panic, Raimi understands how to make internal terror feel physical.

Surprisingly, if you look at the comments section of Deadline’s Instagram post about the announcements, the fans are overwhelmed by the idea of Raimi taking over the reins. The majority of them revealed that they were actually terrified of the trailer and the vile puppet, and Raimi directing the remake would totally give a new direction to the film. No wonder many of them agreed that they “trust in Sam Raimi,” while some started suggesting actors who should play the ventriloquist’s character, which should possibly be Andrew Garfield in the modern remake.

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But these are just speculations, and no official announcements for the official plot, release date, or cast have been made by Lionsgate. Raimi has a strong reputation in horror, and making remakes for a new generation means they need to be polished and refined. The original Magic (1978) gives Raimi room to play in his familiar field and make it more disturbing rather than just another standard remake.     

The bigger picture of Magic conveys that the puppet is not the only horror connection in the film. It is the psychological collapse of the protagonist, which Raimi is a pro at demonstrating, as we have seen in Drag Me to Hell (2009) and Send Help, where characters were pushed to their breaking points. Raimi’s magic wand could turn the inner trauma into a terrifying paranoia, which is the real essence of the film.

Those who have watched Magic know that Fats was obnoxious and foul-mouthed, which Raimi could easily take further to make it more diabolical and completely bozo when it comes to madness. His modern horror could include Fats as a charismatic antagonist who could be more than a mindless prop.

Having directed the Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), his highly stylized camera work could come in handy for this project, where puppet’s stage performances and magician’s illusions could reinvigorate the theatrical elements on the big screen.