Warner Bros. is rebooting the 1954 monster movie Them! with longtime film composer-turned director Michael Giacchino at the helm, according to a report by Deadline.
After composing franchise films like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Star Trek, The Batman, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and more, Giacchino transitioned to the Director’s chair with the Marvel Studios Disney+ Special Werewolf by Night. He even directed the short Monster Challenge and an episode of Paramount+’s Star Trek: Short Treks.
The Them! reboot would mark Giacchino’s feature film directorial debut.
As for Them!, the movie is about a nest of irradiated ants found in New Mexico. Upon discovery, two queen ants lead their army of giant irradiated ants across the country to Los Angeles, where they threaten humanity.
At face value, it’s a monster movie where humanity fights for survival against man-eating ants. However, it’s so much more, as Giacchino explains to Deadline:
“There’s always a movie in your mind that never leaves your head,” Giacchino tells Deadline. “For me, that’s Them! It wasn’t until much later in life until I learned what it was about — the nuclear age.”
He adds: “What I love about Them! is exactly what it’s called: Them! It’s about the other, the unknown which one refuses or can’t understand. The current version of Them! is about immigration, and to tell a story about the subject through a lens of this insane science fiction monster movie,” teases Giacchino about what his early vision is for the pic.
Michael Giacchino will be composing the score for Them!, as he did with the other projects he helmed. Additionally, his brother Anthony Giacchino will be attached to the project, much as he was with Werewolf by Night. Giacchino won and Oscar for the documentary Colette and previously directed the documentary Director by Night, highlighting his brother’s transition from composer to director.
Michael Giacchino is meeting with writers to get production on Them! up and running soon.
