Editing Creature from the Black Lagoon

{{Short description|1954 film by William Alland}}
{{about|the film|the eponymous character|Gill-man|}}
{{Use American English|date = November 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2011}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Creature from the Black Lagoon
| image          = Creature from the Black Lagoon poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster<br />by [[Reynold Brown]]
| director       = [[Jack Arnold (director)|Jack Arnold]]
| producer       = [[William Alland]]
| story          = [[Maurice Zimm]]
| screenplay     = {{Plainlist|
* [[Harry Essex]]
* [[Arthur A. Ross|Arthur Ross]]
}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Richard Carlson (actor)|Richard Carlson]]
* [[Julie Adams|Julia Adams]]
* [[Richard Denning]]
* [[Antonio Moreno]]
* [[Nestor Paiva]]
* [[Whit Bissell]]
* [[Ben Chapman (actor)|Ben Chapman]]
* [[Ricou Browning]]
}}
| music          = {{Plainlist|
* [[Henry Mancini]]
* [[Hans J. Salter]]
* [[Herman Stein]]
}}
| cinematography = William E. Snyder
| editing        = [[Ted J. Kent]]
| studio         = [[Universal-International]]
| distributor    = Universal-International
| released       = {{Film date|1954|02|12|premiere|ref1=<ref name="indepth">Furmanek, Bob and Greg Kintz. [http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/an-in-depth-look-at-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-1 "An in-depth look at 'Creature from the Black Lagoon'".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402080856/http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/an-in-depth-look-at-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-1 |date=April 2, 2019 }} ''3dfilmarchive.com'', 2012.  Retrieved: November 19, 2013.</ref>|1954|03|05|et al., regional openings}}
| runtime        = 79 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = 
| gross          = $1,300,000<ref name="box">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety197-1955-01-05/page/n58/mode/1up|title=1954 Box Office Champs|magazine=Variety Weekly|date=January 5, 1955|page=59}} - figures are rentals in the US and Canada</ref>
}}

'''''Creature from the Black Lagoon''''' is a 1954 American [[black-and-white]] [[3D film|3D]] [[Monster film|monster]] [[horror film]] produced by [[William Alland]] and directed by [[Jack Arnold (director)|Jack Arnold]], from a screenplay by [[Harry Essex]] and [[Arthur A. Ross|Arthur Ross]] and a story by [[Maurice Zimm]]. It stars [[Richard Carlson (actor)|Richard Carlson]], [[Julie Adams|Julia Adams]], [[Richard Denning]], [[Antonio Moreno]], [[Nestor Paiva]], and [[Whit Bissell]]. The film's plot follows a group of scientists who encounter a [[List of aquatic humanoids|piscine amphibious humanoid]] in the waters of the [[Amazon rainforest|Amazon]]; the Creature, also known as the [[Gill-man]], was played by [[Ben Chapman (actor)|Ben Chapman]] on land and by [[Ricou Browning]] underwater. Produced and distributed by [[Universal-International]], ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' premiered in [[Detroit]] on February 12, 1954, and was released on a regional basis, opening on various dates.

''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' was filmed in [[Stereoscopy|three dimensions (3D)]] and originally [[Movie projector|projected]] by the [[Polarized 3D system|polarized light method]]. The audience wore viewers with gray polarizing filters, similar to the viewers most commonly used today. Because the brief 1950s 3D film [[fad]] had peaked in mid-1953 and was fading fast in early 1954, many audiences actually saw the film "flat", in two dimensions (2D). Typically, the film was shown in 3D in large downtown theaters and flat in smaller neighborhood theaters. In 1975, ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' was released to theaters in the red-and-blue-glasses [[anaglyph 3D]] format, which was also used for a 1980 home video release on [[Betamax|Beta]] and [[VHS]] [[Videotape#Home video|videocassettes]].<ref name="indepth"/>
{{TOC limit|limit=2}}

==Plot==
[[File:Famous Actress Who Later Portrayed an FDA Chemist (FDA 124) (8205683361).jpg|thumb|right|Autographed Julie Adams still, featuring the Creature menacing Kay]]
A [[geology]] expedition in the [[Amazon rainforest|Amazon]] uncovers [[fossil]]ized evidence (a skeletal hand with webbed fingers) from the [[Devonian]] period that provides a direct link between land and sea animals. Expedition leader Dr. Carl Maia orders his two assistants Luis and Tomas to stay in camp while he visits the [[marine biology]] institute.

Carl reunites with his friend and former student, [[Ichthyology|ichthyologist]] Dr. David Reed. David works at an aquarium in California, but more recently, he has been a guest at Carl's institute in Brazil to study [[lungfish]]. David persuades his boss, the financially minded Dr. Mark Williams, to fund a return expedition to the Amazon to look for the remainder of the skeleton.

Soon after Carl leaves camp, a [[List of aquatic humanoids|piscine amphibious humanoid]], a living member of the same species from which the fossil originated, becomes curious about the expedition's camp. When its sudden appearance frightens the assistants, they panic and attack, and in response, the enraged Creature kills them both. 
 
The group goes aboard the tramp steamer ''Rita'', captained by crusty Lucas. The expedition consists of David, Carl, Mark, David's girlfriend and colleague Kay Lawrence, and another scientist, Dr. Edwin Thompson. When they arrive at the camp, they discover Carl's assistants have been killed while he was away. Lucas suggests it was likely done by a [[jaguar]], but the others are unsure.

A further excavation of the area where Carl found the fossil turns up nothing. Mark is ready to give up the search, but David suggests that perhaps thousands of years ago, the part of the embankment containing the rest of the skeleton fell into the water and was washed downriver, broken up by the current. Carl says the tributary empties into a [[lagoon]]. Lucas calls it the "Black Lagoon", a paradise from which no one has ever returned. The scientists decide to risk it, unaware that the Creature - the [[Amphibian|amphibious]] "Gill-man" - that killed Carl's assistants has been watching them.

Taking notice of the beautiful Kay, the Creature follows the ''Rita'' all the way downriver to the Black Lagoon. Once the expedition arrives, David and Mark go diving to collect rock samples from the lagoon floor. After they return, Kay goes swimming and is stalked underwater by the Creature, who then gets briefly caught in one of the ship's drag lines. Although it escapes, the Creature leaves a claw behind in the net, revealing its existence.

After subsequent encounters with the Creature claim the lives of Lucas's crew members, it attacks Kay and attempts to abduct her, but it is captured and locked in a cage aboard the ''Rita''. During the night, it escapes and attacks Edwin, who was guarding it. Edwin smashes the Creature with a lantern, driving it off, but he is severely injured. Following this incident, David decides they should return to civilization. Mark, who is obsessed with capturing (or killing) the Creature, objects. As the ''Rita'' tries to leave, they find the Creature has blocked the lagoon's entrance with fallen logs. While the others attempt to remove the logs, Mark is mauled to death while trying to capture the Creature single-handed underwater. The Creature then climbs aboard the ''Rita'' and approaches Kay from behind. She screams as the Creature grabs her, taking her away to its cavern lair. David, Lucas, and Carl pursue them, rescuing Kay and riddling the Creature with bullets. It retreats to the lagoon, where its body sinks into the watery depths.

==Cast==
[[File:Ricou Browning in his movie costume at Wakulla Springs (15055100304).jpg|thumb|[[Ricou Browning]] played the "Gill-man" in the underwater scenes of ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' (1954), ''[[Revenge of the Creature]]'' (1955), and ''[[The Creature Walks Among Us]]'' (1956).]]
* [[Richard Carlson (actor)|Richard Carlson]] as Dr. David Reed
* [[Julie Adams|Julia Adams]] as Kay Lawrence
* [[Richard Denning]] as Dr. Mark Williams
* [[Antonio Moreno]] as Dr. Carl Maia
* [[Nestor Paiva]] as Captain Lucas
* [[Whit Bissell]] as Dr. Edwin Thompson
* Bernie Gozier as Zee
* Henry Escalante as Chico
* [[Rodd Redwing]] as Luis
* [[Perry Lopez]] as Tomas
* Sydney Mason as Dr. Matos
* [[Ricou Browning]] as the Gill-man (underwater; uncredited){{sfn|Vieira|2003|pp=141–143}}
* [[Ben Chapman (actor)|Ben Chapman]] as the Gill-man (on land; uncredited){{sfn|Vieira|2003|pp=141–143}}
* [[Ginger Stanley]] as Kay Lawrence (underwater; uncredited){{sfn|Vieira|2003|pp=141–143}}

==Production==
{{expand section|date=August 2024}}
Producer William Alland was attending a 1941 dinner party during the filming of ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (in which he played the reporter Thompson) when [[Mexicans|Mexican]] [[cinematographer]] [[Gabriel Figueroa]] told him about [[Yacuruna|the myth of a race of half-fish, half-human creatures]] in the [[Amazon River]]. Alland wrote story notes titled "The Sea Monster" 10 years later, using ''[[Beauty and the Beast]]'' as inspiration. In December 1952, [[Maurice Zimm]] expanded this into a treatment, which [[Harry Essex]] and Arthur Ross rewrote as ''The Black Lagoon''. Following the success of the 3D film ''[[House of Wax (1953 film)|House of Wax]]'' in 1953, [[Jack Arnold (director)|Jack Arnold]] was hired to direct the film in the same format.{{sfn|Vieira|2003|pp=141–143}}

The designer of the approved Gill-man was [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]] animator [[Milicent Patrick]], though her role was deliberately downplayed by [[make-up artist]] [[Bud Westmore]], who for half a century received sole credit for the creature's conception.<ref name="Mostri">Ferrari 2003, p. 287.</ref> Jack Kevan, who worked on ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'' (1939) and made [[prosthesis|prosthetics]] for amputees during [[World War II]], created the [[bodysuit]], while Chris Mueller Jr. sculpted the head.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Skal, David J. (Director) |date=2000 |title=Back to the Black Lagoon |type=DVD |language=English |publisher=Universal Studios}}</ref>

Ben Chapman portrayed the Gill-man for the majority of the scenes shot at [[Universal City, California]]. The on-water scenes were filmed at Park Lake on the Universal back lot. The costume made sitting impossible for Chapman for the 14 hours of each day that he wore it, and it overheated easily. Due to these difficulties, Chapman often stayed in the studio's back-lot lake, frequently requesting to be hosed down.{{sfn|Vieira|2003|pp=141–143}} He also could not see very well while wearing the headpiece, which caused him to scrape Julie Adams' head against the wall when carrying her in the [[grotto]] scenes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mallory |first=Michael |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/297147690 |title=Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror |date=2009 |publisher=Universe Publishing |isbn=978-0-7893-1896-1 |location=New York |pages=227 |oclc=297147690}}</ref>

Ricou Browning played the Gill-man in the underwater shots, which were filmed by the [[second unit]] in [[Wakulla Springs]], [[Florida]].{{sfn|Vieira|2003|pp=141–143}} While filming underwater, Browning reportedly held his breath for up to four minutes at a time.<ref name="Rizzo 2013">{{cite web|url=https://www.ocala.com/story/news/local/2013/07/18/a-silver-springs-story-ricou-browning-was-the-creature/31923591007/|title=A Silver Springs story: Ricou Browning was the Creature|last=Rizzo|first=Marian |date=July 18, 2013|website=[[Star–Banner]]|access-date=July 25, 2019}}</ref><ref name="McBrayer 2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.fangoria.com/original/the-immortal-creature-ricou-browning/|title=The Immortal Creature: Ricou Browning|last=McBrayer|first=Mary Kay|date=November 19, 2021|website=[[Fangoria]]|access-date=April 7, 2022}}</ref> In a 2013 interview, Browning clarified: "If you're not doing anything at all, four minutes is possible, but not if you're moving in the water. If you're swimming fast or fighting, you use up a lot of oxygen, and it cuts it down to, at the most, two minutes."<ref name="Rizzo 2013" />

==Reception and analysis==
[[Leonard Maltin]] awarded the film three out of four stars, writing: "Archetypal '50s monster movie has been copied so often that some of the edge is gone, but ... is still entertaining, with juicy atmosphere and luminous underwater photography sequences."<ref name="maltin14">{{cite book|last1=Maltin|first1=Leonard|title=Leonard Maltin's 2014 Movie Guide|year=2013|publisher=Penguin Press|isbn=9780451418104|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780451418104/page/298 298]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780451418104/page/298}}</ref> Film [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reports an approval rating of 80%, based on {{nowrap|44 reviews}}, with an overall rating average of 7.10/10. The consensus calls it "a solid, atmospheric creature feature that entertains without attempting to be deeper than it needs".<ref name="rtomatoesrating">{{cite web|title=Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - Rotten Tomatoes|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1004906-creature_from_the_black_lagoon/|website=Rotten Tomatoes.com|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=16 January 2023}}</ref> The film is recognized by [[American Film Institute]] in these lists:
* 2001: [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills]] – Nominated<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/movies400.pdf |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies Nominees |access-date=August 20, 2016}}</ref>
* 2003: [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains]]:
** Gill-man – Nominated Villain<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/handv400.pdf |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains Nominees |access-date=August 20, 2016}}</ref>

Psychoanalyst [[Barbara Creed]] provided a feminist reading of classical movie monsters like the Creature or the [[Erik (The Phantom of the Opera)|Phantom of the Opera]], arguing that despite their superficially masculine characterizations, their antagonization of a powerful male hero instead positions them as opponents of the [[patriarchal]] social order, thus imbuing them with feminine traits and creating a sympathetic connection between them and the women they victimize.<ref>Barbara Creed. ''The Monstrous-Feminine: Film, Feminism, and Psychoanalysis'', Routledge, 1993</ref>

==Sequels and remakes==
{{Main|Cultural impact of Creature from the Black Lagoon{{!}}Cultural impact of ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''}}

===Sequels===
''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' spawned two sequels: ''[[Revenge of the Creature]]'' (1955), which was also filmed and released in 3D in hopes of reviving the format, and ''[[The Creature Walks Among Us]]'' (1956), filmed in 2D. A comedic appearance with [[Abbott and Costello]] on an episode of ''[[The Colgate Comedy Hour]]'' aired prior to the first film's release.<ref name=colgate>{{IMDb title | 0810152 | The Colgate Comedy Hour, ep #4.21, Feb. 21, 1954  }}</ref> The appearance is commonly known as ''Abbott and Costello Meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon''.

===Cancelled remakes===
[[File:Del Mar Theatre Ad - 31 March 1954, Santa Cruz, CA.jpg|thumb|200px|Advertisement from 1954]]
In 1982, [[John Landis]] wanted Jack Arnold to direct a remake of the film, and [[Nigel Kneale]] was commissioned to write the screenplay. Kneale completed the script, which involved a pair of creatures, one destructive and the other calm and sensitive, being persecuted by the United States Navy.<ref name="kneale">Murray 2005, pp. 154–156.</ref> A decision to make the film in 3D led to the remake being canceled by producers at [[Universal Pictures|Universal]], both for budgetary concerns and to avoid a clash with ''[[Jaws 3-D]]''.<ref name="kneale"/>

In 1992, [[John Carpenter]] was developing the remake at Universal.<ref>[[Army Archerd|Archerd, Army]] [https://variety.com/1992/voices/columns/olympics-to-cross-finish-line-in-style-1117862332/ "Olympics to cross finish line in style".] ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', July 19, 1992.</ref> He originally hired Bill Phillips to write the script, while [[Rick Baker]] was hired to create the 3D model of the Creature, but the project never got the green light. [[Herschel Weingrod]] and [[Timothy Harris (writer)|Timothy Harris]] wrote a new script,<ref name=new/> and Universal offered [[Peter Jackson]] the director's chair in 1995, but he chose to work instead on ''[[King Kong (2005 film)|King Kong]]''.<ref>"Recreating the Eighth Wonder". ''[[King Kong (2005 film)|King Kong]]'' (3-disc Deluxe Extended Edition DVD), 2006.</ref>

In February 1996, [[Ivan Reitman]] was planning to direct the remake, but it never materialized.<ref name=new>Archerd, Army. [https://variety.com/1996/voices/columns/hiller-relieved-that-noms-weren-t-leaked-1117862860/ "Hiller relieved that noms weren't leaked".] ''Variety'', February 12, 1996.</ref> With the financial success of ''[[The Mummy (1999 film)|The Mummy]]'' remake in May 1999, the development of the ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' remake was revived.<ref>Fleming. Michael. [https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/kornberg-reups-at-u-1117502363/ "Kornberg reups at U."] ''Variety'', May 20, 1999.</ref> In December 2001, [[Gary Ross]] signed on to write and produce the remake with his father, Arthur A. Ross, one of the original's writers. He told ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'': "The story my father wrote embodies the clash between primitive men and civilized men, and that obviously makes it a fertile area for re-examination".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Linder |first=Brian |title=Back to the Black Lagoon |url=https://ign.com/articles/2001/12/13/back-to-the-black-lagoon |journal=[[IGN]] |date=December 13, 2001 |access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref>

In August 2002, [[Guillermo del Toro]], a fan of the original feature, was attached to direct a remake.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Linder |first=Brian |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/366/366961p1.html |title=Del Toro to Uni's Creature Redo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019225949/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/366/366961p1.html |archive-date=October 19, 2008 |journal=[[IGN]] |date=August 7, 2002 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref> He had hoped to do a story focused more on the Creature's viewpoint while also letting him have a successful romantic liaison. He later went on to turn this idea into the 2017 film ''[[The Shape of Water (film)|The Shape of Water]]'' after Universal rejected the concept.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.darkhorizons.com/del-toro-talks-black-lagoon-influence-on-shape/|title=Del Toro Talks Black Lagoon Influence On "Shape" - Dark Horizons|website=darkhorizons.com|date=November 5, 2017|access-date=November 20, 2017}}</ref> Because of these creative clashes and his commitments to many other projects, Universal dropped del Toro and hired [[Tedi Sarafian]] (credited on ''[[Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines]]'') to write a script in March 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last=Linder |first=Brian |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/388/388806p1.html |title=T3 Scribe Penning Creature |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818122010/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/388/388806p1.html |archive-date=August 18, 2012 |newspaper=[[IGN]] |url-status=dead |date=March 11, 2003}}</ref>

In October 2005, [[Breck Eisner]] signed on as director. He said to be a fan of the film: "As a kid, I remember loving Jack Arnold's original version of this film. What I really want to do is update an iconic image from the '50s and bring in more of the sci-fi sensibility of ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' or John Carpenter's ''[[The Thing (1982 film)|The Thing]]'' (1982)".<ref>Snyder, Gabriel. [https://variety.com/2005/film/markets-festivals/u-s-creature-meets-maker-1117931280/ "U's 'Creature' meets maker".] ''Variety'', October 19, 2005.</ref> Ross said in March 2007 the Gill-man's origin would be reinvented, with him being the result of a [[Pharmaceutical drug|pharmaceutical]] corporation [[pollution|polluting]] the Amazon.<ref>Cieply, Michael. [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/movies/12vill.html? "On screens soon, abused Earth gets its revenge".] ''The New York Times'', March 12, 2007.</ref>

However, the production was delayed by the [[2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike]]; as a result, Eisner instead made ''[[The Crazies (2010 film)|The Crazies]]'' (2010), the number-one project on his priority list. His new goal was to finish ''The Crazies'' and then begin filming ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' in [[Manaus]], Brazil, and on the Amazon River in [[Peru]]. Eisner was inspired to shoot on location by the film ''[[Fitzcarraldo]]'', and the boat set had been built. Eisner continued to rewrite the script, which was to be a summer blockbuster full of "action and excitement, but [still] scary". Eisner spent six months designing the new incarnation of the Gill-man with Mark McCreery (''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]'', and [[Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Davy Jones]]' designer). The director said the new design was "very faithful to the original, but updated" and that the Gill-man would still remain sympathetic.<ref>Rotten, Ryan. [http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=5919 "Exclusive: Eisner on Creature from the Black Lagoon Remake".] ''Shock Till You Drop'', May 2, 2008.</ref> In 2009, it was reported that Carl Erik Rinsch might direct a remake that would be produced by [[Marc Abraham]], Eric Newman, and [[Gary Ross]];<ref>{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike |url=http://weblogs.variety.com/bfdealmemo/2009/12/creature-to-feature-rinsch-.html?ref=ssp |title=Creature to Feature Rinsch? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822013905/http://weblogs.variety.com/bfdealmemo/2009/12/creature-to-feature-rinsch-.html?ref=ssp |archive-date=August 22, 2010 |newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 14, 2009}}</ref><ref>[https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/18395 "'Creature from the Black Lagoon' Taps New Director for Revival".] ''bloody-disgusting.com''. Retrieved: March 23, 2015.</ref> however, a project featuring the ensemble had been abandoned by 2011.

In March 2012, Universal announced that a remake was in production and would simply be titled ''The Black Lagoon'' rather than ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' to distinguish between the two versions. In October, the studio hired Dave Kajganich to write the film.<ref>Kit, Borys. [https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/creature-black-lagoon-nabs-a-378629 "'Creature From the Black Lagoon' nabs a writer (Exclusive)".] ''The Hollywood Reporter'', October 12, 2012. Retrieved: March 23, 2015.</ref> The film was expected to hit theaters by May 2014 but was ultimately canceled. In 2020, Universal was considering [[Scarlett Johansson]] and [[Chris Evans (actor)|Chris Evans]]
for a remake.<ref>{{cite news|last= Rivera |first=D.J.|title=Chris Evans Reportedly Eyed For Creature From The Black Lagoon Remake|url=https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/mcu-stars-reportedly-eyed-creature-black-lagoon-remake/ |newspaper= We Got This Covered}}</ref>

===Reboot===
Universal Pictures, beginning as early as 2014, began developing a shared universe of [[Reboot (fiction)|rebooted]] modern-day versions of their classic [[Universal Monsters]], with the studio having various films in different stages of development. The series began with ''[[The Mummy (2017 film)|The Mummy]]'' (2017) and was intended to be followed by the remake of ''Bride of Frankenstein'' in 2019 prior to the critical and commercial failure of ''The Mummy''. ''The Creature from the Black Lagoon'' was a remake also intended to be developed within the reboot with a story written by [[Jeff Pinkner]] and a script written by [[Will Beall]]. In June, Kurtzman revealed that the Gill-man in this film would be from the Amazon,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cinemablend.com/news/1667260/where-the-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-monster-comes-from-in-universals-dark-universe|title=Where The Creature From The Black Lagoon Monster Comes From In Universal's Dark Universe|date=June 6, 2017|publisher=Cinema Blend}}</ref> but on November 8, Alex Kurtzman and Chris Morgan moved on to other projects, leaving the future of the ''Dark Universe'' even further in doubt.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/alex-kurtzman-chris-morgan-exit-universal-monsterverse-1055854|title=Universal's "Monsterverse" in Peril as Top Producers Exit (Exclusive)|work=The Hollywood Reporter|last1=Kit|first1=Borys|last2=Couch|first2=Aaron|date=November 8, 2017|access-date=November 8, 2017}}</ref> In January 2019, the ''Dark Universe'' film series was officially scrapped.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=2019-01-25|title='Invisible Man' Finds Director, Sets New Course for Universal's Monster Legacy (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/universal-finds-director-invisible-man-studios-monster-legacy-1203117708/|access-date=2020-12-15|website=Variety|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125181231/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/universal-finds-director-invisible-man-studios-monster-legacy-1203117708/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2024, it was announced that [[James Wan]] was in talks to direct a remake of ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=2024-08-12 |title=James Wan in Talks to Direct 'Creature From the Black Lagoon' Remake |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/james-wan-in-talks-to-direct-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-1235972293/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Sean Tretta was reported to be set to write the screenplay based on a treatment by Wan, Rafael Jordan, and Bryan Coyne.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://deadline.com/2024/09/atomic-monster-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-sean-tretta-1236103522/|title= Atomic Monster & Universal’s ‘The Creature From The Black Lagoon’ Sets Sean Tretta To Write|date= September 30, 2024|access-date= September 30, 2024|first= Anthony|last= D'Alessandro|work= Deadline Hollywood}}</ref>

===Legacy===
* The 2017 film ''[[The Shape of Water]]'' was partly inspired by Guillermo del Toro's childhood memories of ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''; he wished to see the Gill-man and the film's co-star succeed in their "romance".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3457493/iconic-horror-movie-scene-inspired-shape-water/|title=The Iconic Horror Movie Scene That Inspired 'The Shape of Water' – Bloody Disgusting|website=bloody-disgusting.com|date=September 6, 2017|access-date=October 16, 2017}}</ref>
* The fossil species ''[[Eucritta]] melanolimnetes'' ("true creature" + "from the black lagoon") is named after the film.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Clack|first=Jennifer A.|date=2 July 1998|title=A new Early Carboniferous tetrapod with a ''mélange'' of crown-group characters|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=394|issue=6688|pages=66–69|doi=10.1038/27895|issn=1476-4687}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
* Ferrari, Andrea. ''Il Cinema Dei Mostri''. Milan, Italy: Mondadori, 2003. {{ISBN|88-435-9915-1}}.
* Murray, Andy. ''Into the Unknown: The Fantastic Life of Nigel Kneale''. Stockport, Cheshire, UK: Critical Vision, 2005. {{ISBN|1-900486-50-4}}.
* {{cite book|last=Vieira |first=Mark A. |title=Hollywood Horror: From Gothic to Cosmic |location=New York |publisher=Harry N. Abrams |date=2003 |isbn=0-8109-4535-5}}

==Further reading==
* [[Bill Warren (film historian and critic)|Warren, Bill]]. ''Keep Watching the Skies: American Science Fiction Films of the Fifties'', 21st Century Edition. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009, (First edition 1982). {{ISBN|0-89950-032-3}}.
{{Refend}}
* {{cite book |last1=Weaver |first1=Tom |last2=Schecter |first2=David |last3=Kronenberg |first3=Steve |title=The Creature Chronicles: Exploring the Black Lagoon Trilogy |date=2018 |publisher=McFarland & Company |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |isbn=978-1476673868}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0046876}}
* [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/creature-from-the-black-lagoon-am11012 ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' at AllMovie]
* {{TCMDb title|71745}}
* {{AFI film|51168}}
* [http://www.the-reelgillman.com/ The Reel Gill-man] – official site of Ben Chapman, who played the Gill-man
* [https://www.mmmrecordings.com/Creature/creature.html Rerecording of ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' soundtrack]
* [https://imgur.com/gallery/EraNuoW "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (released 70 years ago today in 1954) - Behind the Scenes]—gallery
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|2=Creature from the Black Lagoon}}

{{Gill-man}}
{{Jack Arnold}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1954 films]]
[[Category:1954 horror films]]
[[Category:1954 3D films]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s monster movies]]
[[Category:English-language science fiction horror films]]
[[Category:American monster movies]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Films set in Brazil]]
[[Category:Films set in the Amazon]]
[[Category:Films shot in Big Bear Lake, California]]
[[Category:Films shot in Florida]]
[[Category:Films shot in Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:Gill-man]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jack Arnold]]
[[Category:Films scored by Hans J. Salter]]
[[Category:Films scored by Henry Mancini]]
[[Category:Films scored by Herman Stein]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films produced by William Alland]]
[[Category:Saturn Award–winning films]]