Ira Levin’sRosemary’s Baby’s most popular adaptation is the highly acclaimed 1968 movie, but the horror novel has had several other adaptations in the past. Often touted as one of thebest horror movies of all time, and rightfully so,Rosemary’s Babypremiered over fifty years ago. Yet, after all these years, the movie stands the test of time because of its powerful performances, compelling storytelling, and timeless thematic explorations. Owing to this,Rosemary’s Babyhas been the inspiration behind several contemporary horror movies and shows.
Apart from being the inspiration for many movies and shows,Rosemary’s Babyhas also had a few remakes, sequels, and prequels. None of them are as popular or acclaimed as the 1968 movie. However, they are worth watching for anyone who wishes to see the original film’s familiar narrative through a different lens. While some of these extensions of theRosemary’s Babyuniverse go back in time to reveal new details aboutMinnie and Roman Castevet’s cult, others move ahead of the parent movie’s timeline to unfold what happened to Rosemary and her baby afterRosemary’s Baby’s ending.
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4Look What’s Happened To Rosemary’s Baby
Sequel Movie Released In 1976
In 1997, Ira Levin published an official sequel toRosemary’s Baby, titledSon of Rosemary. However, long before he published the sequel novel,a movie sequel toRosemary’s Baby,Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby, hit the small screens. On paper, the movie sequel has some intriguing ideas to deliver. As its title suggests,it follows the story of Rosemary’s son, Andrew “Adrian” Woodhouse, from the age of 8. The older he grows, the more he learns about the true nature of his sinister identity and how his family members have been manipulating him.
Ruth Gordon (Minnie Castevet inRosemary’s Baby) is the only cast member from the original who reprised her role inLook What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby.
The movie also has an intriguing narrative structure, dividing its runtime into three distinct parts: The Book of Rosemary, The Book of Adrian, and The Book of Andrew. Unfortunately, despite exploring some interesting narrative beats, it fails to generate the same satanic tension as its predecessor. A movie sequel should always have a solid reason to extend its parent film’s narrative, especially if it expands the story of an iconicmovie likeRosemary’s Baby.Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Babyworks fine as a standalone film but struggles to provide a good reason for its existence.
3Rosemary’s Baby
Television Remake Released In 2014
Starring Zoe Saldaña in the titular role, 2014’sRosemary’s Babyhas no narrative connections with the 1968 film. It serves more as a remake thatnot only adapts Ira Levin’sRosemary’s Babybut also its sequel,Son of Rosemary. It presents itself as a two-part television miniseries that unfolds the stories from both books in four hours. Although the show was not received too well by viewers and critics, it deserves credit for being one of the most faithful adaptations of Ira Levin’s works.
…Despite the show’s best efforts to present itself as a worthy competitor to the original 1968 film, it only makes a ripple with its scares instead of completely capturing the haunting essence of Roman Polanski’s movie.
With talented actors like Zoe Saldaña and Patrick J. Adams as its leads, the miniseries delivers some compelling performances that play a crucial role in making a viewer stick around till its ending. However, despite the show’s best efforts to present itself as a worthy competitor to the original 1968 film, it only makes a ripple with its scares instead of completely capturing the haunting essence of Roman Polanski’s movie. While the 2014 series does a commendable job at modernizing the original story, it fails to rise above its plot contrivances.
2Apartment 7A
Prequel Released In 2024
Author Ira Levin never wrote aprequel toRosemary’s Baby. However, the 1968 movie’s ending left enough room for a prequel to explore some of its unanswered questions. Over five decades after its release,Apartment 7Asets out to resolve its underlying mysteries surrounding the fate of characters like Terry and Lily and the cult’s targets before Rosemary.Apartment 7Afollows Terry, who is introduced as a minorcharacter inRosemary’s Baby. Like Rosemary, Terry, too, falls into the Castevets' traps and ends up becoming pregnant with the Anti-Christ.
Apartment 7A Ending Explained: How Terry Gionoffrio Really Died In Rosemary’s Baby
Apart from featuring the original story from a whole new perspective, Apartment 7A also reveals the truth behind Terry’s death in Rosemary’s Baby.
While Terry’s narrative shares many thematic parallels with Rosemary’s,her journey revolves more around her obsession to achieve fame. The cult members weaponize this and promise her material success in exchange for her agreeing to their sinister plans. Given howApartment 7Aeffectively adds more heft toRosemary’s Baby’s narrative and expands its lore, it is a worthy prequel to the parent film. However, it struggles to etch its own identity and move out of its parent film’s shadow because it relies too much on familiar themes and imagery.
Apartment 7A
In this psychological thriller, a young woman is forced into a mysterious cult after moving into a seemingly ordinary apartment complex. As strange events occur there, she begins to question her sanity and the motives of her enigmatic neighbors.
1Rosemary’s Baby
The First & Best Known Adaptation Released In 1968
If it wasn’t the 1968Rosemary’s Babymovie’s commercial and critical success, other adaptations of Ira Levin’s book would likely not have existed. Written and directed by Roman Polanski,Rosemary’s Babypresents a terrifying metaphor for the body-invading terrors of pregnancy, paranoia, and the exploitation of women in a marriage setting. What makes it incredibly gripping is that, instead of merely giving away its mysteries in its early moments, the film makes viewers feel as clueless and confused as its titular character.
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As a viewer, it is hard not to question whether Rosemary is merely being paranoid about the cult’s motives or actually being manipulated by the cult members. When Rosemary sets out to unravel the mysteries behind the Bramford building’s cult, the movie even prompts viewers to become armchair detectives and find the answers Rosemary seeks. However, like Rosemary, one remains in the dark untilRosemary’s Baby’s final moments reveal the truth. By then, it is already too late.
Rosemary’s Baby
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby chronicles the chilling tale of Rosemary Woodhouse, the wife of an actor who, after finding out she is pregnant, begins to suspect that her unborn child is something far more sinister than a normal baby. John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, and Maurice Evans also star.
