Nicolas Winding Refn to Direct a Global “Maniac Cop” Resurrection

Nicolas Winding Refn will direct and produce a new version of the 1988 horror-action film *Maniac Cop*. Mubi will fully finance and distribute the film in North America, Latin America, the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand. Goodfellas co-produces; Veterans will handle sales outside Mubi’s territories. Production begins in Los Angeles in January 2027, with cast and crew yet to be announced.

Variety Magazine

The 1988 *Maniac Cop* was written by Larry Cohen, directed by William Lustig, and starred Robert Z’Dar as NYPD officer Matt Cordell, a cop framed, imprisoned and returned as a vengeful killer. Its critique of police brutality earned a cult following and sequels, *Maniac Cop 2* (1990) and *Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence* (1993). Supporting actors included Bruce Campbell, Richard Roundtree and Tom Atkins.

Bruce Campbell's Underrated 38-Year-Old Cult Horror Flick Is Getting a 'Resurrection'GizmodoRefn’s “Maniac Cop” Remake Films In 2027

Refn will produce via his byNWR Originals banner, with Christina Erritzøe and Kimberly Willming as executive producers. Goodfellas’ Vincent Maraval joins as an executive producer for co-producer. Mubi founder-CEO Efe Cakarel highlighted the worldwide theatrical rollout, while Veterans will manage sales beyond Mubi’s footprint.

Variety Magazine

2016: Hollywood attempt to revive the property stalled. 2017: Ed Brubaker-penned script entered development but did not proceed. 2020s: Refn acquired rights and continued development under byNWR. January 2027: Production to commence in Los Angeles.

Refn’s “Maniac Cop” Remake Films In 2027

The original’s focus on police misconduct aligns with today’s debates, a point Refn says heightens relevance. Mubi’s multi-territorial financing shows confidence in the film’s commercial viability as a global genre title. Branding the project as a “resurrection” seeks to attract cult-film fans and mainstream horror audiences.

Variety Magazine

Refn described the film as a radical new vision reflecting today’s uneasy political climate and promising no protection, no safety net, only mayhem. Cakarel called it a resurrection, praising Refn’s dangerous imagination and the project’s bold, singular nature. Maraval noted Refn’s suitability to revive the myth, stressing the venture is not nostalgia but a new nightmare for a worldwide market.

Bruce Campbell's Underrated 38-Year-Old Cult Horror Flick Is Getting a 'Resurrection'

The 1988 *Maniac Cop* received mixed contemporary reviews but maintains a cult following. Announcements do not yet reveal casting, a release schedule, or budget details.

Bruce Campbell's Underrated 38-Year-Old Cult Horror Flick Is Getting a 'Resurrection'

• “Of the newest attempt, Refn says: “The concept has always appealed to me.” — Nicolas Winding Refn, Director

Refn’s “Maniac Cop” Remake Films In 2027

• “provokes an immediate, uneasy reaction. […] The time has come to unveil a radical new vision where there is no protection, no safety net, only mayhem.” — Nicolas Winding Refn, Director

Gizmodo

• “‘Maniac Cop’ in Nicolas’s hands is not a remake. It is a resurrection,” — Efe Cakarel, Founder & CEO, Mubi

Variety Magazine

• “We have known Nicolas for a long time, and there is nobody better suited to bring this myth back to life,” — Vincent Maraval, Executive Producer, Goodfellas

Variety Magazine

After the January 2027 start of principal photography, the team will announce casting and a release window later in 2027.

Refn’s “Maniac Cop” Remake Films In 2027