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Title: Michael Bay to remake THE EXORCIST
Description: Rob Zombie in talks to direct!?!


William S. Wilson - April 1, 2008 04:04 AM (GMT)
Ugh. You knew this was coming with him touching everything. Even worse is the mock up poster his company has done for it linked below. Variety article:
QUOTE
Keeping the Devil at “Bay”

Michael Bay will remake 70s shocker ''The Exorcist.'' The producer-director will do for the 1973 horror classic what he did for ''Amityville Horror'' and ''Texas Chainsaw Massacre''

By Ivy Pullinyerleg

Wearing his producer hat, director Michael Bay (Armageddon) has overseen recent remakes of such venerable low-budget horror movies as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Hitcher, and The Amityville Horror, but now, he's going after a prestige project: a remake of the quintessential shocker The Exorcist.  Bay is in talks to produce the Warner Bros. remake with rocker Rob Zombie at the helm.

The new movie is being deemed a “re-imagining” and will return to the William Peter Blatty novel that was the source of director William Friedkin's Oscar-nominated 1973 film, in which a young girl becomes a vessel for the devil.  “Honestly,” Bay said, “I think we are finally at a point where computer effects have reached a point where we can do the novel justice.  No disrespect to Friedkin or effects artist Dick Smith, but [their version] just does not hold up well.  It looks very dated.”

Rocker-turned-helmer Rob Zombie is in negotiations to direct Warner's new version of The Exorcist.  “After I saw what a great job he did re-imagining John Carpenter’s Halloween,” Bay states, “I knew I had my man.”  Zombie, dropping all projects in development, is thrilled at the opportunity.  “I grew up with The Exorcist,” Zombie says, “and what better way to show my love than re-envisioning it for a new generation?  I know that world.  The only thing that really sticks out from the original for me is Jack Nicholson’s performance.” 

While no actors have been cast, Zombie is currently mulling his options.  “Obviously,” Zombie hints, “Sid Haig would make a great Father Merrin.”  Zombie also mentions he is currently courting “incredibly talented thespian” Sheri Moon for the lead role.  “I read it and she just seems perfect for it.” 

Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller will produce through their Platinum Dunes shingle, while Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman are producing for Mandalay Pictures.  Warners is looking to rush the pic into production to meet a set date of October 31rst.  Stiles White and Juliet Snowden wrote a version of the script that is still being developed. New scribes may be brought aboard with Zombie doing a cursory draft.

Bay’s Platinum Dunes currently has several other remakes in “active development” including popular horror series A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th.  “It really is a great time to be a filmmaker,” Bay concedes.  “I literally have hundreds of staffers searching video stores the world over for the next right project that I can improve.”

Dave Bohnert - April 1, 2008 04:07 AM (GMT)
it took me literally two minutes to figure this out. and i feel like a total idiot!

Bill Picard - April 1, 2008 04:10 AM (GMT)
You missed the best part, Wilwil: bloody-disgusting is reporting that Ellen Page is set to star as Regan!

William S. Wilson - April 1, 2008 04:14 AM (GMT)
QUOTE (Bill Picard @ Mar 31 2008, 10:10 PM)
You missed the best part, Wilwil: bloody-disgusting is reporting that Ellen Page is set to star as Regan!

Father Merrin: "Satan?"
Regan: "No, it's Morgan Freeman. Do you have any souls that need collecting?"

Sad part is 90% of what I did above is taken from real articles.

Vincent Pereira - April 1, 2008 04:23 AM (GMT)
Best April Fool's joke EVER!!!!!!!!

Vincent

Jeff McKay - April 1, 2008 04:50 AM (GMT)
OUCH - you got me!

(Not fair, though, it's still 3-31 on the west coast.)

William D'Annucci - April 1, 2008 05:08 AM (GMT)
I caught this as soon as I saw the headline, only because I was plotting a far more diabolical one. But I think William's is funnier and more directly attacking those who deserve it.

Mine was going to have Frank Darabont signing a deal with the Weinsteins to do Stephen King's The Long Walk (a project he has plans for in reality) after Tom Hanks pulled out of his Fahrenheit 451 (also true, this was just announced). Except after this collection of mostly true facts, I was going to spill a few paragraphs down that the Weinsteins had convinced Darabont that the best way to The Long Walk was as a Step It Up dance musical, where the kids have to keep busting out some amazing moves or get their brains blown out by snipers. And that Darabont admitted while he was excited about Alexa Davalos in the lead and the ability to convey inner character conflict purely through dance, he did admit that King's title might need some reworking.

Vincent Pereira - April 1, 2008 05:34 AM (GMT)
Although I applaud your thwarted effort, you need not have even gone through such great lengths as that, William. Simply saying that Frank Darabount was mounting yet another overwrought, unnecessarily depressing adaptation of a King novel or novella would have been enough.

Vincent

William D'Annucci - April 1, 2008 11:33 AM (GMT)
QUOTE (Vincent Pereira @ Apr 1 2008, 12:34 AM)
Although I applaud your thwarted effort, you need not have even gone through such great lengths as that, William. Simply saying that Frank Darabount was mounting yet another overwrought, unnecessarily depressing adaptation of a King novel or novella would have been enough.

Vincent

Hmm, ya got me there, Vinnie. The Long Walk is about young men forced to walk endless miles until they can't go on and are shot to death. Any depressing aspects of this idea in a movie would be totally unnecessary. :rolleyes:

Chris Barry - April 1, 2008 05:56 PM (GMT)
It took me less than a nanosecond when I saw the article writer's name...

Michael Blanton - April 1, 2008 06:53 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Dave Bohnert @ Mar 31 2008, 10:07 PM)
it took me literally two minutes to figure this out. and i feel like a total idiot!

though the March 31st psting date could be misleading. :lol:

Steve Erickson - April 1, 2008 08:59 PM (GMT)
I like the 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY remake poster on Vern's new blog.

Bob Gutowski - April 2, 2008 03:30 PM (GMT)
And I was SO ready to see Regan's head spin so fast that it takes off and makes a hole in the ceiling! AWESOME!

JEFFREY ALLEN RYDELL - April 2, 2008 04:13 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Bob Gutowski @ Apr 2 2008, 11:30 AM)
And I was SO ready to see Regan's head spin so fast that it takes off and makes a hole in the ceiling! AWESOME!

"Aww, HELL naw!"

-Will (Father Karras) Smith

William D'Annucci - April 2, 2008 04:16 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (JEFFREY ALLEN RYDELL @ Apr 2 2008, 11:13 AM)
"Aww, HELL naw!"

-Will (Father Karras) Smith

"Oh, you did NOT puke that green shit at me!!!"

JEFFREY ALLEN RYDELL - April 2, 2008 04:41 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (William D'Annucci @ Apr 2 2008, 12:16 PM)
QUOTE (JEFFREY ALLEN RYDELL @ Apr 2 2008, 11:13 AM)
"Aww, HELL naw!"

-Will (Father Karras) Smith

"Oh, you did NOT puke that green shit at me!!!"

Can't wait to hear the "Power of Christ" mix of his "You gonna die (up there, up there)" over the end credits.




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