The Monkey’s Paw in Development at Ghost House Pictures

While doing the promo rounds for his “Drag me to Hell”, Sam Raimi talked about another intriguing movie that’s being developed in-house via his Ghost House Pictures — “The Monkey’s Paw”, based on W.W. Jacobs’ 1902 short story where a monkey’s paw grants its owners any wish they desire … at a price. It’s a great story, and has been enduring through the years, and I could be wrong, but isn’t Richard Kelly’s “The Box” sort of like a variation on “The Monkey’s Paw”?

According to Raimi via SciFiWire, the script for their version of “The Monkey’s Paw” is currently being written David Kajganich and Tom McAlister, and is in the early stages. Writer David Kajganich currently has the horror movie “Town Creek” coming out with director Joel Schumacher, while McAlister, well, let’s hope Kajganich does most of the writing here. Raimi has no plans to direct the movie.

Here’s the plot of the original story (via Wikipedia):

The story involves Mr. and Mrs. White and their grown-up son, Herbert. Sergeant-Major Morris, a friend of the Whites who has been part of the British force in India, leaves them with the monkey’s paw, telling of its mysterious powers to grant three wishes, and of its journey from an old fakir to his comrade, who on his third and final wish, wishes for death.

Mr. White wishes for 200 pounds. Their son is killed by machinery at his company, and they get compensation of 200 pounds.

Ten days after they bury Herbert, Mrs. White, almost mad with grief, asks her husband to wish Herbert back to life with the paw. He is very reluctant, but does so. After a delay there are knocking sounds on their door. Mrs White fumbles at the locks in an attempt to open the door. Mr. White knows however that he cannot allow the son in, as he was mutilated by the accident and had been dead for more than a week. He wishes his third wish. The knocking stops. Mrs. White opens the door to find no one there.

The moral of the story is contained in this description of the paw: “It had a spell put on it by an old fakir,” said the sergeant-major, “a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow”.

Obviously the movie version won’t be about Mr. and Mrs. White, but let’s just hope they don’t turn the lead into a college 20-something whose biggest wish is to bang the hot sorority girl. That would just suck.

Below: Go ahead, spank the monkey, but no wishing!