The afterlife’s friendliest ghost is officially about to haunt theaters once again. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the fantasy comedy classic, 1995’s Casper is making its return, complete with a new trailer reflecting on the adorable little spirit’s adventures in Friendship, Maine, with a new coat of paint. Hailing from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, it’s packed with some big-time talent, including Bill Pullman as ghost therapist Dr. James Hardy, Christina Ricci at the height of her Addams Family fame as his daughter Kat, who desperately wants a friend, and Malachi Pearson as the titular Casper, who’s more than willing to be that pal. The film will kick off the spooky season for the whole family on October 3 and run through Halloween on October 31.
Casper the Friendly Ghost was no stranger to theaters before Casper, but the film was the first proper feature outing for the pop-culture icon created in 1945. It centers on the gentle spirit who peacefully haunts a mansion in Maine until Harvey moves in to commune with the deceased residing in the building. Accompanying the specialist is his 13-year-old daughter Kat, who, after the loss of her mother, is feeling especially lonely. Although Harvey seeks to exorcise the ghosts in the drafty old manor, Casper falls for Kat, and the two begin a budding relationship that is somewhat complicated by their different living situations. Accompanying them in the mansion as well are the Ghostly trio, Stretch (Joe Nipote), Stinkie (Joe Alasky), and Fatso (Brad Garrett), whose antics make the Harveys’ new life a bit more colorful.
Casper marked the feature directorial debut of Brad Silberling, who would go on to helm the Jim Carrey-led A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Nicolas Cage tragic romance City of Angels. At the time, the friendly ghost’s big-screen adventure scared up a solid $288 million at the box office, though critics were not so friendly about it, giving it a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. The decision to take Casper himself in a darker direction by giving him a tragic backstory was decried, though there’s still a lot that viewers loved, from its otherwise faithful take on the cheerful character and humor that’s fitting for all ages. The effects of the ghosts were also cutting-edge for the time, made all the better by some strong performances around them.
‘Casper’ Is Also Getting a Glow-Up for His 30th Anniversary
Not only is Casper flying back onto the big screen, but he’s also going to look sharper than ever for his 30th anniversary thanks to a new 4K Ultra HD release. This includes a new steelbook for collectors who want to bring the friendly ghost home in all his glory, complete with all the ’90s nostalgia and the many cameos, including Clint Eastwood, Rodney Dangerfield, and even Dan Aykroyd in an uncredited reprisal of his iconic role as Ray Stantz in full Ghostbusters gear. The release is due out soon on August 12, with pre-orders available through Gruv.
Casper returns to theaters nationwide from October 3 through Halloween. Check out the new anniversary trailer in the player above.
via Collider