Zach Galifianakis to Star in Classic Horror-Comedy Reboot

Zach Galifianakis will soon let TV audiences know that it’s actually pronounced “franken-STEEN.”

The Hangover Part III star will soon appear in a reboot of Mel Brooks’ classic horror-comedy Young Frankenstein, a TV project on FX titled Very Young Frankenstein.

In addition to Galifianakis, Cary Elwes, Dolly Wells, Spencer House, Nikki Crawford, and Kumail Nanjiani will star in the series. FX began developing the series this June, but plot details and character specifics are currently a secret.

Mel Brooks will be an executive producer of the series, and Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi will direct. Stefani Robinson will serve as writer/showrunner of the series, who also worked with Waititi on FX’s What We Do in the Shadows.

The original Young Frankenstein, released in 1974, is considered one of the best movies of all time and a comedy classic. It parodied many monster movies from decades prior, but most especially Universal’s Frankenstein films from the 1930s. Gene Wilder starred and wrote the screenplay with Brooks.

Both Elwes and Nanjiani have appeared in prior works by Mel Brooks. Elwes starred in the movie Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Nanjiani appeared in the Hulu Original History of the World, Part II. Most recently, Galifianakis appeared in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building and in Disney’s live-action reboot of Lilo & Stitch.