On April 19, 2024, the Facebook account YODA BBY ABY published a post, along with an image of a movie poster, claiming that Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi was remaking the 1987 vampire film "The Lost Boys":
TAIKA WAITITI - THE LOST BOYS!!!
Discover the chilling revival of "The Lost Boys," directed by Taika Waititi, hitting theaters in October 2024. Journey with brothers Michael and Sam, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet and Noah Schnapp, as they uncover the first haunting secrets of Santa Carla's vampire underworld in the form of David, played by Evan Peters. This visually striking film, crafted in the distinct style of the director of "Thor: Ragnarok," promises a gripping blend of horror and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
This movie news was not a factual recounting of a real-life film in the works, and the movie poster is a fake. Neither filmmaker Waititi, nor actors Chalamet, Peters or Schnapp, are attached to such a project, and the Facebook post comes from a page that describes itself as a satire account, writing on its Intro section, "I'm just here to eat frogs, lift rocks and be satirical. The page is 100% satire and fake news."
Many commenters — who admitted to being huge fans of the original movie starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Patric, Corey Feldman and Corey Haim — shared either their excitement at the thought of the remake of this iconic 1987 film from director Joel Schumacher, or their opinion that the original film couldn't possibly be improved upon.
"OMG! I don't know, the first version is a gem, it's about improving, don't ruin it, like the Fright Night version with (Colin Farrel)," wrote one follower of the account, while another follower responded, "One of the greatest movies ever. Hope they dont ruin it with a cheap remake."
Others quickly picked up on the satire, with one follower responding to the post, "The original isn't that good, so this could be an improvement. However, everything on this page is fan made art. None of it is real. I can't believe most of you still fall for this crap. Investigate and enlighten yourselves."
According to multiple outlets, a TV adaptation of "The Lost Boys" was originally set to debut as a series in 2022 on The CW network, but after production shut down due to the COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020, the network declined to move forward with the project.
However, the reboot was not quite dead in the water.
After undergoing significant transformations during its development, including casting, director and writer shakeups, the new project, which was now said to be a movie rather than a TV series, was announced by The Hollywood Reporter in September 2021. Notably, British actor Noah Jupe, recognized for his roles in "A Quiet Place" and "Ford v Ferrari," and Jaeden Martell of "It" and "Knives Out," reportedly landed lead roles in the latest iteration of the film revival. Set in the fictitious town of Santa Carla, the new movie promised to delve into the hidden world of vampires lurking beneath the sunny façade of the seaside community.
Due to production delays and obstacles, the release date and distribution platform for the movie remain uncertain. Additionally, in January 2024, a teaser trailer for a stage-musical adaptation of "The Lost Boys, A New Musical" also surfaced.
For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.