Director Finds His Way to The Orphanage!

I don't scare easily, but I'm as susceptible to a freaky flick as anybody. 2007's The Orphanage was just such a film. Guillermo Del Toro, mastermind behind the Hellboy films and Pan's Labrynth, served as creative director on the film, which told the story of a woman takes over as caretaker of an orphanage she used to stay at as a child. But weird things start happening when her own begins hanging out with a  creepy bag-headed imaginary friend, the same one who terrorized her as a youth.

Plans for an American remake were underway before the film had even finished it's US theatrical run, with Del Toro attached as a producer and creative influence. Initially, the story was to be written and helmed by Larry Fessenden, but he left the project. His script is still being utilized, but now Variety is reporting that Mark Pellington has been selected to take the reigns.

Pellington has a pretty good track record, in my opinion. I actually dug the feel of Henry Poole is Here, a neat little religion tinged comedy starring Luke Wilson. His domestic terrorists film, Arlington Road is also one of my favorites that nobody else seems to like as much as I do! But The Mothman Prophecies is downright brutal, even though it has an interesting look to it. Maybe I'll chalk that up to the poor story more so than the direction. I'm still not a fan of this remake happening because the original is so perfect, but if it's going to at least Del Toro is equipping it with the best he can find. I trust him to make sure it stays faithful and retains that film's chilling atmosphere.