Disney to remake Escape to Witch Mountain

[jrgutknecht]

From http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/356/356537p1.html

According to The Hollywood Reporter, director David Nutter has signed a deal with Disney to remake their 1975 movie Escape to Witch Mountain.

The original Witch Mountain, which spawned a couple of sequels in the late '70s/early '80s (one theatrical, one made-for-TV), was based on the novel of the same name by Alexander Key.

The film is a fantasy adventure about two young orphans with psychic powers. Their clairvoyance prompts an evil millionaire (aren't they all?) to lure them to his mansion to exploit their powers. While escaping, they meet a friendly camper and begin to unravel the mystery of their origin. Soon, all three are fleeing townspeople who have branded the children witches. But then someone with even greater powers takes over and leads the children into a dazzling and unexpected experience.

The new film will probably have a similar storyline and Disney says it will have an X-Files/Roswell feel to it. Nutter has directed episodes of both shows, as well as Smallville, Dark Angel, Chris Carter's Millennium, and the Katie Holmes flick Disturbing Behavior.

I guess they have now run out of original ideas. Well, at least it's not a sequel.

 

[JAP]

Geez you would think someone would be coming up with original scripts for Disney and the audience for the 6-12 year old crowd. These regurgitated themes are driving me nuts!

 

[raidermatt]

The Parent Trap was done very well, and they are still producing popular family movies that are not sequels, such as The Princess Diaries, Snow Dogs, and The Rookie.

This is actually the one area of the studios that seems to be pretty stable and on-track.

The questions are more around animation and the "blockbusters".

 

[Lesley]

This could be cool....I liked the one I saw as a kid. Sounds better than Country Bears at least!

 

[Banzai]

I know they did a remake for the Disney Channled a few years ago!

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

I was just thinking the same thing. The original was good and a re-make has potential, but I do get the nagging feeling that it's been done for the Disney channel within the past few years.

 

[Planogirl]

There was a made-for-TV remake which I can't find out much about. http://www.eonline.com/Facts/Movies/0,60,48544,00.html It sounded very familiar to me too so I did some searching.

So will this be a remake of a remake?

 

[Planogirl]

More detail from Laughingplace.com: http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID115350.asp

 

[Sarangel]

I suppose a remake could be fun - I've had a soft spot for this movie ever since it came out, since I was an extra in the first movie. The school they used was an actual private school in Menlo Park. CA. I wonder if they'd use the same location?

Sarangel

 

[cmbelle]

I loved both the movies "Escape from Witch Mountain" and "Return to Witch Mountain". I remember the Disney Channel doing a remake a few years ago that wasn't very good. If they do remake the movie, I hope they have been writers.