As we approach the 25th anniversary of Tremors, we have news about Tremors 5.

Most fans are aware that Universal Studios has announced production of a new DVD sequel, being shot in South Africa. For all of us at Stampede, this is a bittersweet development in our long connection with the franchise, since we, the creators, are not involved.

Stampede has always been interested in reassembling the original Tremors creative team to produce a fresh new theatrical sequel in the Tremors voice. We attempted rights negotations with Universal for an independent theatrical film in 2012. However, the sudio passed on the option, preferring to continue the franchise with DVDs at some future date.

Early in 2014, Universal Home Video indicated that they were budgeting another sequel based on a 2004 script written by Brent Maddock and S. S. Wilson. While they pointed out that they had “no further contractual obligation” to Stampede, they did offer us Executive Producer positions. But they also made it clear that in this new even-lower budget project, the Stampede’ partners’ participation would be severely restricted, with little control over cast, director, special effects, locations, or indeed any aspect of production.

It was always only our full involvement as creators that gave us the means and incentive to reinvigorate and expand the Tremors universe with Tremors 2, 3, 4 and the series — despite the significant increasing budget limitations. Without meaningful creative control allowing us to continue to gurantee the integrity of our Tremors vision, we sadly declined to be involved.

The entire Stampede Team extends a big THANK YOU to the loyal fans who have clamored for this movie for so long. For your viewing pleasure, we hope it’s good!

The Stampede Partners:
S. S. Wilson, Brent Maddock, Nancy Roberts. Ron Underwood.

I can hardly believe it myself (see the many negative posts above), but after all these years there has been some discussion about Tremors 5 at Universal.  As usual, the bloggers and movie websites are buzzing with fragments of this activity that have slipped out.  But we can’t comment until we know more.  We will post an official update here if/when we feel it’s responsible to do so.

(Posted February 2014) I know it’s a pain that I keep repeating this, but we’re really not supposed to talk about specifics of Universal’s material.  If that ever changes, I’ll put the news on the Stampede site. Meantime, I’ll go this far: Burt finally got the mini-gun I always wanted him to have.  (Update 2016), by now you all know that But not get a mini-gun in Tremors 5.  While the movie was originally going to be based on our original T5 script, they ended up using almost nothing from it.

We are not privy to what offers may have been made to Universal.  But, while movie rights are sometimes sold by studios, such deals can end up being so expensive (because lots of fees and other charges get tacked on) that the resulting movie has to be a run-away hit to make them worth the risk.

No, the Tremors 5 script stands on its own, a new story taking place in a new location.   While Burt is in it, we did not put in other Perfection townsfolk from the series or the movies. Update 2016: and fans now know that Universal ending using almost nothing from our old Tremors 5 script anyway.

Ye gads, I guess Tremors fans have started going to law school! This question raises valid legal arguments that I don’t think I can handle.  But I’m pretty sure we still need Universal’s permission to use their material/characters, even if the end product is “free.”

Since the movie was never made, it only had a working subtitle.  On the actual finished script that is “Gummer Down Under!”  Somewhere along the line, we also started informally calling it “Thunder Down Under.”

A number of fans have asked about this.  Yes, we’ve investigated it.  The difficulty is that, even if we raise the money to make the movie, Universal still has to agree to distribute it — and distribution is expensive.  Without their prior approval, it’s a no go. As of now (May 2013) we don’t have a clear answer from them.

We gotta give you credit, you all keep coming up with different approaches.  Sometimes I think one of our fans will actually figure out a way to make Tremors 5.  However, that said, the issue remains that Universal owns and controls all rights Tremors for all media in all forms and they do no believe there is any money to be made in creating new material.  There’s no point in our discussing it with any other studio or entity, as we have no control over it.

What’s up is the internet is a loopy place.  No, they are not the same.  The series was created on its own for SciFi (aka, ludicrously, SYFY).  Tremors 5 is a screenplay about Burt’s adventures in Australia.  Universal Studios has no plans to produce the movie, however.

Sorry to have to keep saying it but, unlike Johnny Five, Tremors 5 is not alive.  Someone posted a fake entry on IMDB saying it was coming out, starring the entire original cast plus people from the TV show.  They even listed Stampede as the contact company (and we even got calls from some cast members and from Universal asking us what the heck was going on).  But it’s just a cruel online joke by somebody.  We’re trying to get IMDB to take down the post (as of August 31, 2010)

Yes, there was some brief, guarded interest in Tremors 5.  Hollywood politics being what they are, we must be secretive about the players.  We can say at present (October 2009) that Tremors 5 may not be completely dead.  But it’s only un-dead, not alive.  (And if it’s 2019 as you read this, and there has still been no Tremors 5, this answer is then “Yes, but it died again.”)

It was all about the Burt you know and love in a wild new adventure.  The overkill was awesome.

Nobody from the earlier movies or TV show. We’re not that blood thirsty.

Both are great ideas as far as we’re concerned.  But we’re only the creators.