The movie industry isn't exactly a stranger to remakes – just like in the world of gaming, it's becoming incredibly common for executives to dive into their grab-bag of existing franchises to see what could be ripe for a new version. It's not always the movies you expect, either, as proved by a new film coming to Disney+ very soon.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is hitting the streaming service on 22 October, and remakes a 1992 cult classic that you might have heard of, but I'd almost be surprised if you'd seen. The new film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Maika Monroe, and it's pretty clear from the trailer that it'll go to some dark places as its plot unfolds.
Winstead plays Caitlin, a mother looking to hire a nanny to help with the challenge of rearing her first child, who comes across Polly (Monroe), who seems for all the world to be the perfect candidate, not least because of her impeccable recommendations from past clients. Caitlin hires Molly, and after a serene start it seems clear that cracks will start to show fairly quickly.
The trailer makes it obvious that something's not right with Molly, not least with her ability to ignore a crying baby that she's explicitly meant to be caring for, but it's also clear that Caitlin herself might have some secrets, too. This is a story all about manipulation and lies, and Molly's ability to win over the child in her care is key.
It also looks like it'll have at least two distinct time periods, too, with some scenes showing a young child and others showing a much older one – although I might be misinterpreting and there are actually two kids in question, something that should become easier to figure out either in subsequent trailers or when the movie hits Disney+.
Returning to my point, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is an interesting choice for a remake, sitting on Rotten Tomatoes scores in the mid-60s from both critics and audiences to suggest it's not hated but isn't exactly widely beloved. Time will tell whether it's a masterful choice by the big brains at Disney, or a slightly pointless one.
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