80s Horror Troll Spawns Potentially Litigious Spin-Off, The Rise of Harry Potter Jr

1986 fantasy horror ‘Troll’ is not the most likely of 80s properties to be revived in the 21st century - but that;s just what’s happening, and we have a sneaky suspicion as to why.

The most frequently cited bit of trivia relating to the not-so well remembered creature feature is that it centred on a young boy who moves into a new apartment building, only to find it inhabited by a malevolent troll out to conquer the world with dark magic.

The troll’s name is Torok, and the boy’s name is - wait for it - Harry Potter Jr.

- What Happened To Dudley Dursley?
- The Crow Reboot Cancelled
- Nurse 3D Actress Sues Over ‘Ruined Career’

Now, SC Films International have announced plans for ‘Troll: the Rise of Harry Potter Jr.,’ apparently set to be both an animated film and TV series further exploring the magical world the hitherto ordinary boy Harry finds himself thrust into, battling a dark magic nemesis whose fate is somehow linked with his own.

Stop us when any of this starts to sound a wee bit familiar…

A report at Coming Soon quotes the original ‘Troll’ director John Carl Buechler (on board the reboot as producer) as stating, “The original ‘Troll’ film has achieved cult status, and based upon its success we believed that the timing was right to produce an updated 3D animated version for a whole new generation of filmgoers.”

It would seem hopes are very high for this franchise, as on top of a movie and TV series there is said to even be talk of a ‘Troll’-based attraction in Northern China.

Nor are they aiming low with the casting either, hiring recent Oscar winner Patricia Arquette to voice a witch who aids young Harry (to be voiced by newcomer Baxter Barlett) in his perilous journey.

Of course, SC Films are at pains to point out that their project is not in any way affiliated with that other Harry Potter franchise, whilst emphasising that ‘Troll’ and the character of Harry Potter Jr pre-date the books of JK Rowling by more than a decade.

Still, something tells us Warner Bros and Rowling (who of course have their big screen Potter spin-off ‘Fabulous Beasts and Where To Find Them’ on the way) are very unlikely to take this lying down.

Produced by schlock-master Charles Band, ‘Troll’ starred ‘The Neverending Story’s Noah Hathaway as Harry, with Michael Moriarty and Shelley Hack as his parents, and Sonny Bono as a neighbour.

Notoriously, it spawned an unofficial sequel in 1990′s ‘Troll 2,’ renowned among bad movie cultists as one of the gloriously terrible movies ever made (subsequently the subject of 2009 documentary ‘Best Worst Movie’).

Nor is ‘Troll’ the only 1986 movie which would seem to inadvertently predict elements of Harry Potter, as keen-eared viewers of that other fantasy favourite ‘Labyrinth’ may recall the moment when Jennifer Connolly’s Sarah mistakenly refers to the dwarf Hoggle as Hogwart.

- Five Nights At Freddy’s Movie Finds Director
- New Nosferatu Remake Announced
- Charlie Hunnam’s Pacific Rim Disappointments

Picture Credit: Empire Pictures/MGM-UA, WENN