Cujo, the titular character.
In 2013 (re-announced in 2015), a remake of the horror film Cujo and based off the book of the same name by author Stephen King, titled Canine Unit Joint Operations, was said to be in the works.[1]
Plot[]
The plot details are currently unknown, though it is likely that it would've been in similar footsteps as the original Cujo film but with major tweaks.
Development[]
In 2013, the project was first announced by the company Sunn Classic Pictures on the website Horrorbid (the article is now unavailable unfortunately). The company owner and one of the producers of the original Cujo film, Lang Elliott, was attached to direct it, with King himself being a writer alongside Dallas Jones. In 2015, two years later, the project was announced once again, this time on website Bloody Disgusting, with the same writers and director. The script was reportedly already finished, with production estimated to begin sometime soon, alongside this, DJ Perry was mentioned to star in an undisclosed role.
Lang Elliott was then asked on the status of the film years later, and confirmed that the project is no longer in development and will remain like that due to multiple complications. This is what he had to say:
"With regard to C.U.J.O., we have had many offers to finance the film and/or do a joint venture with us but the offers haven't been acceptable to us. This isn't a remake or sequel but a new horror action-adventure which differs from our 1983 production of CUJO, based upon Stephen King's book. We believe the film will be a big success once we produce it but as you know, in our business it always comes down to "The Deal!" After nearly 50 years in the business, I'm in no rush to make a deal just to make a deal... If you have a good project, as a producer/director/writer, you have to wait until you get your deal on terms that are fair to all involved.".. "Over the years, many producers/directors in our industry have taken this position with films such as Rocky, ET, and many others that proved to be BIG box-office hits! This is how we feel about C.U.J.O. and if we do not finance it through the industry then I will finance it through equity investors at the right time, as I did for many years when I owned TriStar Pictures before I sold the company to Columbia Pictures, HBO and CBS in the 1980's. There is a lot of the planning and time invested when seeking equity investors and it greatly depends upon the economy. Right now, the country is heading into harder times but fortunately as history has proven over and over again, the motion pictures and television industry is still the cheapest form of entertainment." (9/5/22)
Why It Was Cancelled[]
- As soon as King acquired the rights to his novel for Cujo in 2017, production was immediately halted and later canned completely.
- There were multiple issues regarding the financing.
Results[]
- The film is (very likely) permanently canned.
- Despite the original project no longer being in development, Netflix and Vertigo Entertainment announced their own remake for Cujo on March 2025 via The Hollywood Reporter. Roy Lee is attached as a producer. Seven days later on March 18, it was later mentioned that Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky will be attached to direct it and is planning to meet up with potential writers soon.[2][3]
Trivia[]
- Cujo: Canine Unit Joint Operations was likely going to be incorporating military material giving that they were using C.U.J.O as an acronym, likely being completely different from the source material of the 1983 movie.