Fresh off the bloody success of his survival thriller Send Help, Sam Raimi is refusing to let horror fans catch their breath. Last year, we learned he was producing a reboot of the 1978 psychological cult classic Magic. Now, he has officially upgraded his status to director—because why watch from the sidelines when you can personally orchestrate a dummy-induced panic attack?
The Team: Getting the Band Back Together
This “newly imagined” take on the vintage killer-doll flick is set up at Lionsgate and features a killer lineup of creative talent. Raimi is reuniting with Send Help scribes Mark Swift and Damian Shannon (the delightfully chaotic minds who also gave us Freddy vs. Jason). Joining Raimi in the dugout are horror heavyweights Roy Lee, Chris Hammond, and Tim Sullivan, with Meredith Wieck and Pavan Kalidindi overseeing the madness for Lionsgate.
Given the agonizing psychological warfare Swift and Shannon cooked up for Send Help, handing them and Raimi a psychotic wooden puppet feels like handing a pyromaniac a flamethrower. It’s an inspired match, and excellent news for anyone who likes their horror with a side of deep existential dread.
The Legacy: Why ‘Magic’ Still Creeps Us Out
For the uninitiated, the original 1978 film is a masterclass in psychological terror, famously directed by—no joke—Richard Attenborough, the creator of Jurassic Park and a prestige filmmaker, and written by legendary scribe William Goldman.
The story follows Corky (Anthony Hopkins), a struggling magician who finally finds fame when he introduces a vulgar, wisecracking ventriloquist dummy named Fats into his act. The twist? Corky’s mental stability hinges entirely on Fats, who gradually takes on a terrifying, murderous life of his own.
“Magic is fun—we’re dead.” — The actual, deeply traumatizing tagline from the original 1978 TV commercials that gave an entire generation of children a lifelong phobia of dolls.
Unlike the campy slasher energy of Chucky, the original Magic succeeded by focusing heavily on intense, straightforward psychological tension. Fats didn’t need to sprint down hallways with a kitchen knife; his ghastly appearance and complete control over Hopkins’ psyche did all the heavy lifting.
Where to Watch While You Wait
While Lionsgate prepares to bring this new wave of Magic to theaters, you can get properly acquainted with Fats right now. The 1978 original is currently streaming across a variety of platforms, including Shudder and Screambox. Check it out, appreciate the genius of a pre-Hannibal Lecter Anthony Hopkins, and prepare yourself—Sam Raimi is about to make puppets terrifying all over again. If you’re looking for something a little more brutal, Send Help, which I called “bloody good” in my review, is available on Disney+, Hulu, and Prime Video.
Here’s a look back at the original trailer for Magic.
