1992’sThe Hand That Rocks the Cradleis getting a remake featuring one of the stars ofLonglegs. The original1990s psychological thrillerfollowed a young mother named Claire Bartel (Annabella Sciorra) who finds herself targeted by Mrs. Mott (Rebecca De Mornay), the widow of her abusive doctor, who poses as a nanny in an attempt to kill her and take over her family. The movie, which also starred Matt McCoy, Ernie Hudson, and Julianne Moore, earned $140 million against its roughly $12 million budget, becoming the ninth highest-grossing title at the domestic box office for the year.
PerThe Hollywood Reporter,Maika Monroe has signed on to play the twisted nannyin a 20th Century Studios remake ofThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle, which is now in development. This is the star’s first major casting since playing the lead role of Lee Harker in the 2024 horror hitLonglegs. The movie, which is being produced by Department M’s Michael Schaefer and Mike Larocca and Radar Pictures’ Ted Field, is set to be directed byHuesera: The Bone Woman’s Michelle Garza Cervera from a screenplay by Micah Bloomberg.
What This Hand That Rocks The Cradle Remake Means
Maika Monroe Is Playing A New Kind Of Role
This roleoffers the star an opportunity to play a very different kind of character. Typically,Maika Monroe horror moviessee her playing a victim squaring off against various menaces including the titular killer inLonglegs, the relentless entity inIt Follows, Dan Stevens’ super-soldier inThe Guest, and more. Taking on the role of the iconic villain will allow her to flip the script and show off her range after achieving further notoriety with the role of Lee Harker.
Other Maika Monroe horror movies includeSignificant Other,Watcher, andVillains.
Now is likely the right time for Monroe to embrace a villainous role, asLonglegsis affording her one of the biggest platforms she has had to date. The movie wasa smash hit both critically and commercially, earning $108.5 million against a budget of less than $10 million in addition to a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 85%. In fact, it is the highest-grossing original horror movie of 2024 so far, with the second place title being the South Korean releaseExhumaat $97.9 million worldwide.
Our Take On The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Remake
The Movie Could Be A Trendsetter
If it becomes a success, the remake ofThe Hand That Rocks The Cradlecould help kick off a new trend of remakes of 1990s stalker movies. The first inkling of a move toward this trend was likely theFatal AttractionTV show, remaking the iconic Oscar-nominated 1987 movie. However, the genre became more robust in the 1990s with titles includingSingle White Female,The Crush,Poison Ivy, and more, none of which have yet received a direct remake.
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
Cast
Directed by Curtis Hanson, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle is a psychological thriller starring Rebecca De Mornay and Annabella Sciorra. The film follows a widow who plots revenge by infiltrating the family of a woman responsible for her husband’s downfall, serving as their nanny. This suspenseful drama delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and maternal instincts.
