They Live Producer Offers Unexpected Tease on Story’s Future (Exclusive)

In the late ’80s, filmmaker John Carpenter delivered an adaptation of the Ray Nelson short story “Eight O’Clock in the Morning” with They Live, an experience that was not only an entertaining sci-fi film in its own right, but one that tackled themes of subliminal advertising and control by major corporate and political forces. Given that these themes feel just as fresh, if not even more relevant, in our current media and political climate, some feel like a new take on the material would be almost too obvious, though one producer of that film Sandy King recently hinted that there could be a new project connected to the movie on the horizon. King and Carpenter’s next project, John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams, premieres on Peacock on October 13th.

When asked by ComicBook.com if such a story would be possible today, King hinted, “That’s a little like watching CNN now, isn’t it? I think that if you stay tuned, you might actually see something before too long.” In regards to whether this could mean a new chapter in the narrative could actually be coming, King hinted, “There might be.”

Given that They Live was based on a previously published story, it’s possible that a new adaptation could be developed that wasn’t a direct remake of the 1988 film and instead is an experience that reimagined the key components of the source material. However, with a number of Carpenter films having been remade and rebooted over the years, a more straightforward revival of the story could be on the way.

This isn’t the first time we’ve gotten a tease of They Live‘s future, as Carpenter himself expressed the possibility of it back in 2018.

“Well, I’m not gonna tell you about that, because it might be closer to reality than you think,” Carpenter told Den of Geek in regards to a contemporary revival. “There was a feature film. It was a feature film called Resistance, written by, oh, the guy who did the [Planet of the] Apes movies. Matt Reeves. But then he moved on, and so the sequel is, well, we’ll see. We’ll just have to see.”  

In the meantime, fans can see Carpenter and King venturing into all-new territory for them and Storm King Productions, as Suburban Screams blends together genre elements with true-crime stories.

The series is described, “John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams is a genre-busting unscripted horror anthology series from the mind of legendary director, writer, and producer, John Carpenter. The series explores the dark secrets and unspeakable evil that sometimes lurks beneath the surface of the sun-drenched streets, manicured lawns, and friendly neighbors of suburbia. Each episode focuses on one true tale of terror, told by the real people who lived through it. Their firsthand accounts are brought to life through premium cinematic scene-work, news clips, home photos, and archival footage, combining the visual language of horror films with the tools and techniques of documentaries, creating a uniquely frightening experience for viewers.”  

John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams, premieres on Peacock on October 13th. Stay tuned for updates on the possible future of They Live.  

Would you like to see They Live make a return? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!