Another Vampire Classic Rises—And Kathryn Bigelow Just Lit the Fuse
Kathryn Bigelow just joined the Near Dark remake—and horror purists are SCREAMING into the moonlight. According to The InSneider, A24 is developing a series adaptation of Bigelow’s blood-slicked 1987 cult hit Near Dark, and yes, the OG director is involved. Maybe not calling the shots, but definitely lurking somewhere behind the camera.
Think HBO’s True Blood met Mad Max in a dive bar and had a sun-averse baby. That’s Near Dark—a dusty, neo-Western vampire road trip soaked in blood, grit, and Bill Paxton’s psychotic charm. Now, A24’s giving it the prestige TV upgrade. And the genre’s never been thirstier.
Why This Changes Everything (Or Should Have Stayed Dead)
Let’s be clear: A24 has built a blood empire out of stylish dread (Hereditary, The Witch, Beau Is Afraid). So it’s not shocking they’re mining Bigelow’s debut for TV gold. But what is shocking? That Bigelow—Oscar winner, action auteur, and not exactly a regular in reboot culture—is involved at all. Even if it’s “just advisory,” that’s like getting Ridley Scott to bless your Alien fanfic.
Here’s the insane detail: The original Near Dark made less than $3.5 million at the box office. Now, decades later, it’s getting resurrected by the same studio turning Friday the 13th into arthouse. That’s Hollywood’s vampire logic—box office bombs become canon if you wait long enough.
Savage comparison? This isn’t Twilight for the Tumblr crowd. It’s more like Breaking Bad meets The Lost Boys, but with a heatstroke and no sparkle.
Vampires, Reboots, and the Resurrection Economy
Hollywood has a type—and it’s undead. From Let the Right One In to Interview with the Vampire (now reborn on AMC), vampires keep coming back, rebranded and moodier. What sets Near Dark apart? Its vibe. Forget European castles—this was Americana rot-goth. Big rigs instead of bat wings. Steak knives instead of stakes.
A24’s move isn’t just strategic—it’s poetic. They’re not remaking Near Dark to cash in on the nostalgia. They’re canonizing it. Which is wild considering the film was practically DOA in 1987, buried under The Lost Boys hype. But time’s a hell of a bloodletting.
As for Bigelow, she hasn’t directed since 2017’s Detroit. But she’s got a new untitled White House thriller slated for this fall. So maybe this Near Dark gig is a toe-dip back into the genre pool. Or maybe it’s just legacy maintenance. Either way, her name on the marquee means this isn’t just another “IP update.” It’s a torch passing. Or possibly a torch relighting an old funeral pyre.
Time to Pick a Side: Classic Reborn or Fangless Reboot?
You’ll either call this a genre resurrection… or a vampire desecration. No in-between.
Would you rather get bitten by a new Near Dark series—or rewatch the original on VHS in a basement with no air conditioning and the smell of regret?
