The Tremors franchise currently finds itself in a very odd position. The sixth film in the long running series, Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell, is set to be released on May 1. There’s also an unrelated new Tremors TV series on the way that follows the canon of the first Tremors movie but none of the sequels, and stars the original’s Kevin Bacon. So with that series and all its star power on the way, many longtime fans assumed Tremors 6 would be the swan song for the film franchise that focuses mainly on Michael Gross’ Burt Gummer — but it looks like that’s not the case.
“Believe it or not, Universal wants to talk about a seventh,” Gross told Bloody Disgusting in a recent interview. “It’s just the beginning but I have a very strong idea about it. They tell me I’m not at liberty to discuss it right now, but it will also be, if it even happens — this is ridiculously premature — they just like to talk about these things in case they want to pull the trigger quickly on something. So they’re actually preparing and talking to writers. That’s far from meaning it’s ever going to be made, but it’s also putting Bert in a place we’ve never seen him before. More personal vulnerability along with the monsters. I just like to put Burt in uncomfortable situations.”
The Tremors films are low budget, have no theatrical distribution, and have a built-in loyal fanbase, so since the financial risk is low, it’s not surprising that Universal would be interested in continuing the franchise. What is surprising, though, is that the studio would do so concurrently with a TV series that operates completely separately. “I’ve not heard a thing from [the TV side of things] I truly do think Kevin is doing his own thing,” Gross told Bloody Disgusting. “This has nothing to do with me. I was never asked to be a part of it. I have no idea what’s going on. Just what I hear. I just know Kevin wants to revisit that character all those years later and I haven’t the slightest idea.” Sounds like the dawn of a Tremors cinematic universe to us.
So for all you fans of Burt Gummer who were afraid the return of Kevin Bacon’s Valentine McKee meant the eccentric survivalist would be riding off into the sunset, it looks like his days of Graboid hunting will continue.
