In 2020, reports circulated of Warner Bros. plans to remake the beloved 1986 Little Shop of Horrors, an arguably perfect film. The updated casting included Billy Porter, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Taron Egerton, with talk of Greg Berlanti directing. In 2021, an interview with Billy Porter in Metro Weekly poured water on the flames of the project, stating the reboot may or may not be indefinitely on hold. While recently there has been only news of small theater companies continuing to honor the Little Shop of Horrors musical theater show across the country, speculation into Warner Bros.’ plans for the property is worth pondering.
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At some point, a major studio will revisit the movie, turned musical, turned blockbuster hit. However, a remake would likely be divisive, as the 1986 Little Shop of Horrors is a timeless classic. The only reasonable path forward is a sequel, set in space with all new music. The science-fiction/horror/comedy/musical celebrating Roger Corman-esque cosmic battles, alien monsters, space-age starlets, and operatic astronauts is surely a winning formula. While the studio may not realize it yet, a space fairing sequel to the beloved property could reinvigorate the brand for modern audiences hungry for gonzo galactic weirdness with great music to boot.
The modern-day cult classic would set the world of pop culture abuzz with a star-studded cast, including the return of Rick Moranis (playing Zeylore, a distant relative to Seymore Krelborn) in what would surely be a must-see spectacle for the masses, even if it turned out to be a hot mess. While the studio may ultimately be too scared to pull the trigger on the greatest comeback of Little Shop you could possibly imagine, the inevitable remake with Taron Egerton or Channing Tatum in the lead and Scarlett Johansson or Lady Gaga as Audrey could be an okay time at the movies. Still, anyone who remembers the ’80s film will surely squirm awkwardly in their seat the whole time, asking, “What’s the point of this?”
Instead, let us take Scream 5’s brilliant assessment of the “requel” approach and ponder Mean Green Mother From Outer Space, free of all legal and financial concerns, if only for a moment. It could be so much fun!
New Old Ideas
Warner Bros.
Ten years ago, the director’s cut of Little Shop of Horrors was quietly released by Warner Bros. A bit shocking, as it is hands down the most monumental alternate ending a film has ever lost and found. For years, the happy ending to Little Shop was the only version audiences were aware of. It’s a perfectly fine ending. Having Seymour and Audrey find happiness together filled our hearts with joy. The seedlings are revealed as well, which left the possibility of a sequel in its own cute way. It would be twenty-six years before we would see the original ending; a multi-million dollar Kaiju sequence showing the alien plant-eating all the main characters and destroying New York City. While the adorable little buds singing happily on Audrey and Seymour’s white picket fence may have lightly seeded the idea for a sequel, the original ending demands one.
Perfectly setting the stage for a space odyssey musical, blasting off into a cosmic future, is right on target considering the brand’s origin as a low-budget Roger Corman film. The concept is ripe for a subtle parody of major studio blockbusters like Alien, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Star Wars. Movies that clearly dictated the Corman knock-off library with movies like Galaxy of Terror, Forbidden World, and Star Crash. Unshackling the low-budget restrictions and molding the Little Shop of Horrors sequel into a musical space adventure would certainly be a bold move and catch the attention of a loyal fan base that holds Little Shop as close to their hearts as any of the greatest Broadway musicals. 1986’s film is often on the top lists of movie fans in general. Considering the era it came from and its cast and crew, it feels like a cousin to other major properties like Star Wars, Ghostbusters, etc. A proper sequel would be watched by every cinephile on the planet.
Mean Green Mother’s Enemies
Empire Pictures
We know Audrey II is some kind of spacefaring species that has the ability to transport itself onto different planets based on light density, hence its appearance on Earth amidst a total eclipse of the sun. This begs the question, what other worlds has Audrey II conquered? Films with similar plot devices often bring another species to the table with an enemy-of-my-enemy kind of dynamic, as seen in countless sci-fi movies. This opens the door for plenty of interesting character and story dynamics while speculating on a sequel for Little Shop that leverages the cosmos. Songs could be mined from a similar brand of low-class strife akin to the working schlubs who populate a ship sent on a dangerous mission to confront the cosmic threat à la Alien.
Mushnik Enterprises has all the money imaginable to afford expendable astronauts but surely won’t risk themselves in such a dangerous mission. The plot could even evolve into a Hitchhiker’s Guide style exploration of Douglas Adams style existential pondering into the meaning of life, who and why we are in this madcap universe of consumption and greed, all set to memorable musical numbers like Planet Plant Food, Good Golly Global Warming, and Expendable and Lonely.
Suddenly Zeylore
While there is no evidence at the moment to support this wild speculation, don’t be surprised if news of a Little Shop of Horrors sequel drops sooner rather than later. It is an absolute beloved property ironically born from the budgetary limitations of Roger Corman’s entertainment ambitions and those who truly recognize the value of “bad as form” or “so bad it’s good.” A return to the world of Little Shop of Horrors, set in space or not, would be a welcome addition to any self-respecting fan of pop culture. Let’s hope the idea ripples across the Hollywood ponds of creativity, and we finally see Audrey II’s horrific return with a funny and musically wondrous contribution to the modern era. The soundtrack alone would be worth the deep space journey.
