Rob Lowe set to direct and star in a gender-swapped remake of The Bad Seed

Rob Lowe (St. Elmo’s Fire, Code Black) is set to direct and star in a gender-swapped remake of the Academy Award-nominated 1956 film The Bad Seed for Lifetime, according to Deadline. The film is in negotiations with Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the film.

The gender-swapping in The Bad Seed isn’t the lead role, which will remain female. It’s the gender of the parent, played by 1958 by Nancy Kelly, who received an Academy Award nomination for her role. Patty McCormack also received a nomination for playing Kelly’s daughter in the film. In this version, Lowe will play the father of the young daughter, who is evil. The Bad Seed will be written by Barbara Marshall (Wish Upon). The film was based on the best-selling William Marsh novel, which was developed into a Broadway play.

In the story, a terrible event happens at the young Emma’s (she’s Rhoda in the 1956 film) school and her father (Lowe) has to question everything he knows about Emma. Can he keep her involvement a secret or will he have to stop her from harming others?

The 1956 film was directed by Mervyn LeRoy from an adapted screenplay by John Lee Mahin. Lowe will executive produce The Bad Seed alongside Mark Wolper from The Wolper Organization and Elizabeth Stephen. Casting is currently underway and production is looking at a start in early 2018.

Rob Lowe is known for starring in the TV series The West Wing as well as the CBS drama Code Black. Lowe has also been recurring in the space comedy The Orville. He stars and executive produces The Lowe Files for A&E. He’s known for starring in films like St. Elmo’s Fire, The Outsiders and Wayne’s World.

Are you guys interested in a remake of The Bad Seed? Let us know in the comments.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)