We, the undersigned, petition 20th Century Fox to proceed with the development of David Cronenberg's proposed sequel to his 1986 hit film, THE FLY. THE FLY series spans over 50 years and five films, which have, in large part, been financial (if not all critical) successes with considerable impact on both the genre and popular culture. The series has been held in the hearts of genre fans for decades, and the basic premise still remains compelling, memorable, and relevant. Cronenberg's 1986 film, in particular, exceeded expectations (both financial and critical), and became the director's biggest financial hit to date. The film has since become hailed as a classic, and has been cited again and again as an example of one of the greatest science-fiction/horror films ever made. In 2011, Cronenberg revealed that he'd written a proposed sequel script for THE FLY, one that Fox turned down. Clearly, there's something in the material, some new angle, that compelled him to take on the project. This is an exceedingly rare and fascinating event--and it's both shocking and disappointing that Fox would pass on what genre fans would consider to be a "no-brainer". Fox has a long and proud tradition of releasing quality genre films, and taking risks with properties deemed too unmarketable or too niche. We can assure you that a new Cronenberg FLY film would elict a great deal of interest from both genre fans, critics, and the intelligentsia. Cronenberg's films, while not traditional audience fare, have been studied and loved by genre fans for over 30 years, and have rarely disappointed financially or critically. A new FLY film would be no different. Even if it were not a $100 million, tentpole summer blockbuster, the project would still be a worthwhile creative--and potentially financial--endeavor. We would hope that Fox reconsider this deeply disappointing decision, or at least not rule the project out entirely for future consideration.

Links