MovieChat Forums > Dr. Phibes Rises Again Discussion > Third Film

Third Film

posted 18 years ago by dougglenn1215
6 replies | jump to latest

When I was young, I remember hearing that a third Phibes film had been planned. I even seem to remember Phibes Resurrectus being on an upcoming movies slate. I've always been disappointed that it never came to pass. Although I'm sure there could be numerous reasons, I wonder what happened to derail this film?

These movies, including Theater of Blood combined black comedy with elements of horror, and adding to that the wonderful characterizations of Vincent Price. The results were a lot of fun when I was growing up.

I truly miss Mr. Price. He was a class act.

Still, I wonder if this is a property that it may be time for someone to resurrect? I could easily see Geoffrey Rush playing Anton Phibes.

[–] cchase 18 years ago

Sadly, two things derailed the making of PHIBES RESURRECTUS as far as I've heard over the years: AIP (Arkoff and Nicholson) didn't want to pay the salary that Price was asking for (he might've over-priced himself intentionally so he wouldn't have to do it), and that a rewrite was never agreed upon as ready-to-shoot.

I'm not so sure that the third sequel would go over as well these days. Horror back then (especially in the PHIBES pictures) was more about the black humor and the ingenuity than about bloodletting, so I don't know if it would find an audience...maybe with the right director, like a Tim Burton or a Danny Boyle.

Geoffrey Rush did do an outstanding job in the HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL remake, but if they couldn't get him, what about Liam Neeson?

[–] BigBanditSean 17 years ago

Neeson would be good, how about Hugh Laurie?

[–] pensivepoetbabblingbard 16 years ago

I think the thing to do would be to find someone who can pull off a Vincent Price voice. I think that Geoffrey Rush could do it--and he looks similar enough to Price that the make-up wouldn't be overly difficult.

[–] alchymist1015 15 years ago

I'm thinking Alan Rickman as a likely Phibes recasting...

[–] misbegotten 10 years ago

My dream sequel would have Phibes pitted against Fu Manchu. Most of Sax Rohmer's original novels about Fu Manchu and the subsequent films based upon them were set in the 1920s, the same period as the Phibes movies, so it would be an ideal match. (It's a shame that Harry Alan Towers, who produced five films starring Christopher Lee as Fu Manchu in the late Sixties/early Seventies, never got on the phone to American International Pictures to arrange a co-production depicting Lee's Fu Manchu versus Vincent Price's Phibes. Ah, what might have been...)
If a Dr. Phibes vs Fu Manchu movie were to be made today, here are my casting suggestions;

The Protagonists
Dr. Anton Phibes: Alan Rickman
Dr. Fu Manchu: Anthony Wong Chau-Sang or John Lone

The Girl
Vulnavia: Pippa Black or Felicity Jones or Claire Foy

The Law
Inspector Trout: Eddie Izzard or David Tennant or Simon Pegg or Martin Freeman
Superintendent Waverley: Jim Broadbent or Sir Ben Kingsley

Interested Parties
Sir Denis Nayland Smith: Richard E. Grant or Matthew Macfadyen
Dr. Petrie: Sir Ben Kingsley or David Suchet or Eddie Marsan
Fah Lo See/Lin Tang: Francoise Yip or Ziyi Zhang or Kelly Hu or Natassia Malthe
Victoria Phibes: Elizabeth Hurley or Kelly Brook

http://hexfan.proboards.com/

[–] le_chiffre-1 13 years ago

Ted Danson would make a kickass Dr. Phibes, with Rhea Perlman as his stylish assistant Vulnavia.