Earlier this month, Elvira fans were disappointed to see a series of cryptic tweets about a project being passed on by Netflix and Shudder, with Elvira herself, Cassandra Peterson, confirming that this was an animated project she has been working on. While it might still be disappointing that the project currently isn’t moving forward, the positive news is that a third live-action feature film has taken priority for the performer, as she has teamed up with a production house to further develop the film to then potentially pitch it to distributors, such as Netflix or Shudder, further down the line.
“I pitched my animation project to Netflix and Shudder and they both passed on it, because they’re really not into doing animation,” Peterson confirmed with ComicBook.com. “The way that came out [on social media] was that everybody had turned me down for everything. Completely not true. I have not pitched these other projects to them so they couldn’t have turned them down.”
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She added, “Only the animation project, which I’m still working on, however, I kind of put that on the back shelf because I got an offer to do the live-action film, and if I’m gonna do the live-action, I better do it soon.”
Elvira debuted in the early ’80s, introducing a variety of horror and sci-fi films on television while offering comedic interludes throughout the broadcast. The character became such a success that Peterson ended up bringing the role to life in her own feature film, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, in 1988. In 2001, Peterson delivered audiences another feature-length adventure with Elvira’s Haunted Hills.
For nearly two decades, fans have been hoping to get a new Elvira film, with Peterson teasing last fall that she was working on a third feature, which is the project that has become her current priority.
“This is that film,” Peterson clarified. “I’m working on it, I wrote a treatment, I’ve taken it to a couple of places. We’re working with one place right now on the treatment. It’s a production house. So I’m working with them and then when we get it, I don’t know if we’ll write the entire script before we pitch it, but a more fleshed out treatment, we’ll take that to Netflix and Shudder and everyone else. I’m working with a production company and, really, that’s the way to pitch it, because Netflix and those different outlets aren’t in the business of making films. They’re in the business of buying them. That’s why I’m working with this production company. They’re a really good, top-tier Hollywood production company.”
In addition to this upcoming movie, Peterson is currently working on her autobiography, which is slated to be released next fall. Stay tuned for details on what the future holds for Peterson and Elvira.
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