The remake bandwagon rolls on as MGM moves forward with plans to make a new version of the Steven Spielberg-produced 1982 chiller Poltergeist. The studio has confirmed that Vadim Perelman, whose directorial credits include the Oscar-nominated House of Sand and Fog, has been hired to helm the pic about a family tormented by angry spirits.
The original film, directed by Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), relied mainly on practical effects and optical compositing to bring its otherworldly menaces to the screen. The work ended up garnering an Oscar nomination for the vfx team of Richard Edlund, Michael Wood and Bruce Nicholson.
This new version is likely to employ a good deal of CG work as it deviates considerably from its predecessor. Cale Boyter, exec VP of production for MGM, says the first pic will be used as a jumping off point rather than a blueprint. Boyter is overseeing the film for MGM, along with VP of production Luke Ryan. Juliet Snowden and Stiles White are writing the script.
Perelman is currently directing and exec producing Ice, a drama pilot for the AMC cable network. He recently completed The Life Before Her Eyes starring Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood. Prior to getting his start in film, he established himself as one of the most sought-after directors of commercials and music videos.
Hooper’s and Spielberg’s Poltergeist spawned two sequels’Poltergeist II: the Other Side and Poltergeist III. It also inspired a television series titled Poltergeist: The Legacy, which aired for four seasons on the Showtime network.
