March 2026

The 'Burbs: Where the Dream Sequence Becomes a Nightmare

Inheriting the DNA of the Original In December 2024, I received a call about a new streaming reboot of the 1989 film The ‘Burbs, directed by Joe Dante and starring Tom Hanks. As a big fan of the film, I was thrilled by the opportunity, and a month later we were in pre-production on the Universal Studios backlot, at the very same cul-de-sac where the classic satire was made. Our series shares much of the original’s DNA: the isolated suburban block; eccentric, yet well-rooted neighbors; and the arrival of mysterious strangers in a derelict house all filtered through a lens of paranoia and suburban voyeurism. Keke Palmer stars as Samira Fisher, a new mother recently moved into her husband’s childhood home. As Samira settles into suburban...more