Fantasy Island can be considered as an early inspiration for shows like LOST and Westworld. The 1970s ABC TV show featured an enigmatic man (played by Ricardo Montalbán) who oversaw an island where anyone’s dreams can come true. However, these dreams can come at a huge price. And for some visitors, these dreams could turn into full-on nightmares. Blumhouse will bring that same horror-like vibe to a new iteration to the big screen, which will star Michael Pena and Jimmy O. Yang. Now, they’ve just cast their newest start. New reports says Guardians Of The Galaxy star Dave Bautista is in talks to have a role in the film. More on the story below.

The Hollywood Reporter says Bautista is in negotiations to play “a former guest who is still on the island against his will and who wants to expose Mr. Roarke, the owner of the titular island, and the island’s magical secrets.” Meanwhile, Pena will play Mr. Roarke, while Yang is set to play another character staying on the island. Bautista’s role may be a step away from the traditional muscle-bound characters he’s played before.

Fantasy Island will be based on the show of the same name. According to Blumhouse’s Jason Blum, the film will be horror adjacent. The film will be directed by Jeff Wadlow, who is using a script written by Chris Roach (Non-Stop) and Jillian Jacobs (Truth or Dare). Wadlow’s credits include Cry Wolf and Kick-Ass 2. He is also one of the writers for the new Masters Of The Universe. So while some of those credits don’t scream exciting, maybe the cast can bring something worth watching. We will just have to wait and see.

Additionally, THR says the project is being described as a having “a tonal mix of Westworld meets The Cabin In The Woods, centering on a group of contest winners who arrive at an island hotel to live out their dreams, only to find themselves trapped in nightmare scenarios.” Well, Westworld is a place where guests can live out their dreams, and The Cabin In The Woods as a voyeuristic aspect to it where people are unwittingly being manipulated. So it should be interesting to see if they could make it gel together for a big screen adaptation of a classic show.

Pena is the perfect actor to play Mr. Roarke. He’s got that comedic charm that is hard to resist. But he’s also appeared in drama flicks to prove that he is more than just a funny man. He recently appeared in Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man And The Wasp and can next be seen in The Mule, starring Clint Eastwood. Yang, who is also known for his comedy, was recently seen in the summer romantic comedy hit Crazy Rich Asians. Bautista has appeared in both Guardians of the Galaxy films and Avengers: Infinity War. Additionally, he has had roles in Spectre and Blade Runner 2049.

While the project was first announced earlier this year, it looks like things are coming together very quickly. Hopefully, more will be revealed as the film’s development progresses.

[Source: THR]