Psycho (film) - Sequels and Remakes

Sequels and Remakes

Three sequels were produced: Psycho II (1983), Psycho III (1986), and Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990), the last being a part-prequel television movie written by the original screenplay author, Joseph Stefano. Anthony Perkins returned to his role of Norman Bates in all three sequels, and also directed the third film. The voice of Norman Bates' mother was maintained by noted radio actress Virginia Gregg with the exception of Psycho IV, where the role was played by Olivia Hussey. Vera Miles also reprised her role of Lila Crane in Psycho II. The sequels were well received but considered inferior to the original.

Bates Motel was a failed television pilot spin-off which later aired as a television movie (before the release of Psycho IV). Anthony Perkins declined to appear in the pilot, so Norman's cameo appearance was played by Kurt Paul, who was Perkins' stunt double on Psycho II and III. In 1998, Gus Van Sant directed a remake of Psycho. The film is in color and features a different cast, but aside from this it is a virtually shot-for-shot remake copying Hitchcock's camera movements and editing. A Conversation with Norman (2005), directed by Jonathan M. Parisen, was a film inspired by Psycho.

As of 2010, a drama film is in development based on the book by Stephen Rebello, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho. The film was originally titled Alfred Hitchcock Presents and set to be directed by Ryan Murphy and star Anthony Hopkins as Hitchcock. It was later announced, however, that the film would be directed by Sacha Gervasi and retitled Hitchcock, with filming beginning on April 13, 2012. Filming was completed in early June 2012 with expected release in November 2012. The film is centered around the relationship between Alfred Hitchcock and wife Alma Reville during the filming of Psycho in 1959. The film is being directed by Sacha Gervasi and written by John McLaughlin and Stephen Rebello. The film will star Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock, Helen Mirren as Alma Reville, Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel as Vera Miles and James D'Arcy as Anthony Perkins.

On October 19, 2010, an independent documentary called The Psycho Legacy was released on DVD. The documentary discussed the legacy and impact Psycho has had on not only cinema but the world. The documentary also included production stories on Psycho II, Psycho III and Psycho IV: The Beginning. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and fans.

On January 13, 2012, A&E announced that a television series called Bates Motel was in development at the network. The TV series has nothing to do with the earlier Bates Motel failed TV pilot released in 1987. The series will take place before the events of the original film and will chronicle Norman Bates' early childhood with his mother and how she drove him to become a killer, similar to the flashback sequences in Psycho IV: The Beginning. In July 2012, A&E announced that the network had picked up the show for a 10 episode first season, skipping the initial pilot stage.