‘Tremors’ Creators Say They’ve Reclaimed Rights to Script and Plan to Expand Franchise

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The creators of Stampede Entertainment, known for producing the movie “Tremors”, have regained control over the rights to the popular monster film from Universal and aim to broaden the series’ scope within the franchise.

In a recent blog post, they mentioned that they are planning a sequel to the 1990 movie set in the Nevada desert town, which they call ‘Perfection.’ They also hinted at some additional, outlandish ideas involving the graboids appearing in new environments.

For the upcoming movie, the concept will directly originate from Stampede Entertainment partners Ron Underwood, who helmed the original production, along with writers Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson. These individuals have alternated in directing sequels to the initial film. In a blog post on Wednesday, they stated that they are not considering any external ideas and clarified that the next film will not be a reboot or a remake of the first movie featuring a new cast.

I wasn’t involved with the last three movies in the franchise, as they were produced by the direct-to-video division of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. However, my partners at Stampede Entertainment, Wilson, Maddock, and Nancy Roberts, took charge of producing the three sequels.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve always admired the power creators hold over their work. Take Ryan Coogler for instance, who’s making waves with his unique deal with Warner Bros. Discovery that gives him ownership of ‘Sinners’ after just 25 years. Now, usually it takes 35 years for creators to reclaim their works under U.S. copyright law, but some highly-regarded directors like Quentin Tarantino have managed to negotiate deals to get their rights back earlier, as seen in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’. It’s fascinating to see these creative minds asserting control over their own creations!

As a fervent admirer, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Kevin Bacon’s potential comeback to the franchise. The actor has hinted at his desire to reprise his role in a sequel, mentioning that Universal had initially proposed a direct-to-video project. Later on, discussions about a TV series ensued, but unfortunately, it never took flight, ultimately ending up at SyFy.

The post mentioned that they are thinking about proposals involving Kevin Bacon reprising his role as Val, but it’s important to note that nothing is finalized yet.

Stampede Entertainment has announced a book deal with Christian Francis for a “Tremors” novel. Moreover, they clarified that they no longer possess the rights to the original movie nor can they license anything associated with it. This means they cannot produce merchandise such as T-shirts featuring graboids or even items bearing the Tremors title logo (the original script was titled “Beneath Perfection”).

Or, more concisely:
Stampede Entertainment has a book deal for a new Tremors novel but no longer holds rights to the original movie, so they cannot produce merchandise with graboids or the Tremors title logo.

Despite initially bombing at the box office, Tremors ultimately gained cult status. This horror movie, starring Bacon and Fred Ward, revolved around the small town of Perfection, Nevada, which was besieged by terrifying, worm-like creatures. The film’s creature effects, engaging characters, and comedic elements have kept it popular among VHS viewers for years.

Stampede Entertainment didn’t respond to a request for comment.

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2025-04-22 01:24