The Tall Man Is Coming to Your TV Because A ‘Phantasm’ Series Is Reportedly in Development
Few horror franchises carry the kind of raw, dreamlike dread that Don Coscarelli’s ‘Phantasm’ has sustained across nearly five decades. Born from a nightmare Coscarelli himself had as a teenager, the original film arrived in theaters and carved out its own deeply strange corner of the genre, blending science fiction, fantasy, and supernatural horror into something that felt unlike anything audiences had seen before. The story follows young Mike Pearson, who discovers that the local mortician, known only as the Tall Man, is killing and reanimating the dead as misshapen zombies, and seeks help from his older brother Jody and their friend Reggie, a local ice cream man. That premise, delightfully weird on paper, became the foundation for one of horror’s most devoted cult followings.
The franchise continued across five films, chronicling the ongoing war between Mike, Reggie, and the Tall Man, gradually revealing fragments of the villain’s mysterious origins. The series maintained a remarkable continuity over its run, with key cast members including Reggie Bannister, Bill Thornbury, and the late Angus Scrimm returning film after film. Among the franchise’s most high-profile supporters is J.J. Abrams, a longtime fan who worked with Coscarelli to oversee a meticulous 4K restoration of the original film. Abrams also revealed that Gwendoline Christie’s armored ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ character, Captain Phasma, got her name directly from the film.
Now, according to an exclusive report from Dread Central, the Tall Man may be trading the silver screen for the small screen entirely. Dread Central has exclusively learned that a television adaptation of Don Coscarelli’s cult classic ‘Phantasm’ is currently in the works, with details remaining under wraps as development gets underway. No platform, showrunner, or story details have been confirmed at this stage, leaving open the question of whether the series will serve as a direct continuation, a full reboot, or something in between.
The news comes after horror writer Nick Antosca, creator of ‘Channel Zero’ and producer of the upcoming ‘Cape Fear’ series, had been developing a feature film adaptation through his Eat the Cat production label, with sources describing that screenplay as excellent. It remains unclear whether Antosca is still involved with the television project in any capacity. The shift from a feature approach to a television development suggests the franchise may be following a broader industry pattern that has been accelerating in recent years. ‘Friday the 13th’ is making the transition to television with ‘Crystal Lake,’ a Peacock prequel series, while A24 is also developing a ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ television series, signaling growing studio interest in long-form horror storytelling.
Recasting the central roles for any new series would be unavoidable, as Tall Man actor Angus Scrimm passed away in 2016 at the age of 89, while Reggie Bannister is currently living with Lewy Body dementia and Parkinson’s disease and has been in hospice care. Bannister and his wife Gigi had spent many years attending horror conventions together, but his health has made that impossible, and fans have rallied around a GoFundMe campaign to help support his care. The weight of that reality hangs over any ‘Phantasm’ revival conversation, making it clear that a new series would need to build its own identity rather than simply leaning on the legacy cast.
A prequel approach could finally explore the origins of the Tall Man, revealing how mortician Jebediah Morn transformed into the dimension-hopping entity fans know today, while an alternative direction could follow a new generation encountering the same supernatural horrors for the first time. Whatever form the series eventually takes, the mythology is rich enough to sustain it. Whether you think the Tall Man belongs on television or exclusively on the big screen, share your thoughts in the comments below.
