After years of uncertainty, Michael Giacchino’s planned remake of Them! is showing signs of life. The Oscar-winning composer has confirmed that he and Warner Bros. are still working to get the sci-fi horror film off the ground. Matt Reeves (The Batman) previously joined the project as a producer.
In an interview with ScreenRant on the AFI Fest red carpet, Giacchino was asked for an update on the remake. He confirmed that he and the studio are “still pushing it forward,” while explaining that the Warner Bros. merger with Paramount and scheduling conflicts have contributed to the delay.
Giacchino offered the following update:
“Now that the dust is sort of settling, we’re re-getting into it and my hope is that, yes, this is a movie that will get made and we’re doing the best we can.”
What Is Michael Giacchino’s Them! Remake About?
Directed by Gordon Douglas, the original Them! arrived in 1954 and became one of the most popular entries in the giant monster movies inspired by the atomic age. The story follows people in New Mexico who come under attack from giant, man-eating ants mutated by nuclear testing.
The film starred James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, and James Arness. It also featured Leonard Nimoy before his rise to fame as Spock in Star Trek.
Giacchino’s remake was announced in January 2023, with the filmmaker revealing that he wanted to approach the material through a contemporary social lens. He explained:
“There’s always a movie in your mind that never leaves your head. For me, that’s Them! It wasn’t until much later in life until I learned what it was about, the nuclear age. What I love about Them! is exactly what it’s called: Them!. It’s about the other, the unknown which one refuses or can’t understand. The current version of Them! is about immigration, and to tell a story about the subject through a lens of this insane science fiction monster movie.”
It’s unclear whether that concept has changed during the project’s lengthy development.
Matt Reeves Joined Them! as a Producer
Another significant development came in early 2025, when Matt Reeves joined the project as a producer. Reeves has a long creative history with Giacchino, who has composed the scores for several of his films, including Cloverfield, Let Me In, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and The Batman. The two are reuniting on The Batman Part II.
Giacchino has continued composing music for major releases, including The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while also working on the upcoming neo-noir adventure Ray Gunn. He previously helmed the short film Monster Challenge, an episode of Star Trek: Short Treks, and Marvel’s Werewolf by Night special presentation.
Would you like to see Michael Giacchino bring the giant ants of Them! back to the big screen? Let us know in the comments.
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