The Horror Auteur’s Wishlist: Why Mike Flanagan is Eyeing the Waters of ‘Jaws’ and the Jungles of ‘Jurassic’

In the landscape of contemporary horror, few names command the reverence and anticipation of Mike Flanagan. Known for his methodical approach to psychological terror, character-driven narratives, and his ability to breathe new life into established intellectual properties, Flanagan has become the industry’s go-to visionary. Recently, during a candid Reddit AMA hosted by Prime Video to celebrate the release of his Carrie series, the filmmaker peeled back the curtain on his creative aspirations, revealing that his appetite for franchise-building extends far beyond the supernatural dramas that defined his early career.

Flanagan explicitly named two pillars of blockbuster cinema—Jaws and Jurassic Park—as his "dream projects." While these are not official announcements of production, they represent a fascinating pivot for a director who once claimed he would never touch a sequel.

The Evolution of a Franchise Filmmaker

For the better part of his career, Mike Flanagan was regarded as a master of the original, intimate horror story. From Oculus and Hush to his acclaimed Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, Flanagan’s work was defined by a specific, localized, and deeply human focus.

"It’s so funny to me because I spent a lot of my career thinking I wouldn’t do franchises or sequels, and—whoops—but I really love getting to play in a world I know and respect and adore, and put my own spin on it," Flanagan noted during the AMA.

This admission marks a significant shift in his career trajectory. Having already secured the reigns for the high-profile Exorcist: Martyrs project, Flanagan has proven that he can navigate the labyrinthine pressures of legacy properties without sacrificing his directorial voice. His desire to tackle Jaws and Jurassic is not merely an exercise in brand recognition; it is a creative challenge to apply his specific brand of dread to the archetypal creatures of modern film history.

The Case for a New ‘Jaws’

Perhaps the most ambitious item on Flanagan’s wishlist is a return to Amity Island. Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975, remains the gold standard of the summer blockbuster. It is a film that functions as a masterclass in tension, atmospheric storytelling, and the terrifying power of the unseen.

Flanagan’s interest is rooted in a profound respect for the source material, coupled with a critical eye for what followed. "Honestly, I wish to hell I could make a Jaws movie," he confessed. "Another example where no one will EVER get close to the original, but there is a ton of room for improvement on the sequels."

Why Flanagan is the Perfect Fit

To understand why Flanagan would be an ideal steward for a Jaws installment, one must look at his mastery of community-based horror. In Midnight Mass, Flanagan proved he could construct a fully realized, isolated coastal town, populate it with complex, flawed individuals, and slowly ratchet up the tension until the eventual eruption of horror felt both inevitable and devastating.

A Jaws film in the hands of Flanagan would likely eschew the campy, creature-feature tropes that plagued the later sequels in favor of a deep-dive into the human element. The original Jaws was never just about a shark; it was about the collision between human vanity, economic necessity, and the uncaring brutality of nature. In a post-pandemic world, the themes of Jaws—the reluctance to close public spaces, the conflict between local business interests and public safety, and the denial of obvious, mounting threats—feel more relevant than ever.

A Vision for ‘Jurassic’ Horror

While the Jurassic franchise has seen massive commercial success, many horror purists often argue that the series has trended too far into action-adventure spectacle, losing the primal, visceral terror of Michael Crichton’s original vision. Flanagan intends to rectify this.

"A Jurassic movie could be a blast too," Flanagan noted. "I’d want to go really scary with it. A true dinosaur horror film would be a blast."

This is a sentiment that resonates deeply with fans who remember the sheer terror of the raptors in the kitchen or the claustrophobic panic of the T-Rex chase in the first film. By stripping away the "theme park adventure" aesthetic and focusing on the biological, predatory reality of dinosaurs, a Flanagan-led Jurassic film could potentially reset the franchise, moving it closer to a survival horror experience akin to Alien or The Thing.

The Broader Landscape of His Horror Ambitions

Flanagan’s Reddit interaction was not limited to these two massive franchises. When pressed on the genres or creatures he has yet to conquer, he kept his list concise and tantalizing: "Aliens, werewolves, sharks, sharks, SHARKS…"

This list reveals the core of his creative drive. Flanagan is a student of the classics. He is interested in the foundational monsters of cinema, not because he wants to remake them as they were, but because he wants to interrogate them through a modern lens. His mention of werewolves and aliens suggests that he is actively scouting for ways to modernize these archetypes, likely infusing them with the same psychological depth and character-driven stakes found in his previous works.

The ‘Dark Tower’ Horizon

While the prospect of a shark-infested horror film from the mind behind The Fall of the House of Usher is exciting, it is important to ground these aspirations in the reality of his current production slate. Flanagan remains deeply committed to his long-gestating adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower.

Providing an update on the progress of Roland Deschain’s journey, Flanagan noted, "Looking really good. It just takes a LONG time to get this one started—it’s like building and launching an oil tanker (and then pushing it up a mountain)."

The comparison underscores the scale of the undertaking. The Dark Tower is a sprawling, multi-volume epic, and Flanagan’s dedication to the project suggests he is treating it with the same level of granular detail that he applied to his Netflix projects. While fans are eager for a production date, the "oil tanker" analogy suggests that the heavy lifting of pre-production is currently underway, even if the public is not yet privy to the timeline.

Implications for the Industry

The fact that a director of Flanagan’s stature is vocalizing a desire to work within these specific franchises serves as a wake-up call to the major studios. Universal, which holds the keys to both the Jaws and Jurassic intellectual properties, has spent years attempting to find the right direction for these brands.

1. The Power of the Auteur

In an era where franchise filmmaking is often criticized for being "studio-driven" or "committee-led," Flanagan represents a rare breed: the director who is both a proven commercial success and an uncompromising auteur. If studios want to revitalize these tired properties, they must move away from the assembly-line approach and grant creative control to visionary storytellers who respect the DNA of the original.

2. Horror as a Prestige Genre

Flanagan’s work has consistently elevated the horror genre, proving that high-concept scares can coexist with profound human drama and complex character arcs. By expressing interest in these massive franchises, he is subtly signaling that these films have the potential to be more than just popcorn entertainment. They can be profound, terrifying, and thematically rich.

3. The Future of Legacy Sequels

The "legacy sequel" trend shows no sign of slowing down. However, the audience is becoming increasingly discerning. Flanagan’s approach—which prioritizes "playing in a world I know and respect" while finding a new "spin"—offers a blueprint for how to handle beloved properties without alienating the core fanbase.

Conclusion: A Dream, Or a Forecast?

While Mike Flanagan’s comments regarding Jaws and Jurassic remain, for now, the musings of a talented filmmaker, they carry the weight of a professional wishlist. He has the credibility, the vision, and the industry clout to make these projects a reality should he choose to pursue them.

As we look toward the future, with Carrie currently streaming on Prime Video and the highly anticipated The Exorcist: Martyrs looming on the horizon, it is clear that Flanagan is not slowing down. Whether or not he ever ends up in the water with a shark or in the tall grass with a raptor, his passion for the genre ensures that he will continue to push the boundaries of what horror can achieve.

For the studio executives currently managing these massive brands, the message is clear: the right person for the job is not just interested; he’s ready to make us afraid again. And given his track record, it would be a mistake not to pick up the phone.