While I’m still not entirely sold on the prospect of remaking The Evil Dead the news from Variety that Diablo Cody is being hired to revise the script warms the cockles a touch.
Truth be told, though it’s probably movie geek blasphemy, when it comes down to it I’m more of a fan of Cody’s than I am of The Evil Dead series but I’m well aware that in bringing back the original producers and star (Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell) remakers Ghost House Pictures are looking to win over the all important fan base. Releasing a statement of intent Raimi, Tapert and Campbell courted their rabid fans,
We are committed to making this movie and are inspired by the enduring popularity and enthusiasm for the ‘Evil Dead’ series…We can’t wait to scare a new generation of moviegoers using filmmaking techniques that were not available to us thirty years ago as well as Fede bringing a fresh eye to the film’s original elements.
Fede in this case is one Fede Alvarez, the Uruguayan who uploaded his now famous short film Ataque de Pánico (Panic Attack) up to Youtube where Hollywood took notice. Click here to see the short, and by way of a comparison we’ve also thrown in Neill Blomkamp’s calling card for District 9, Alive in Joburg.
News of Cody’s involvement may not be met with such enthuisasm but for my money she’ll bring a decent perspective to the proceedings, and it’s the first piece of news related to this story that’s captured my attention. Jennifer’s Body is perhaps the closest comparative project the writer has worked on, and she was also involved in the production of a big screen adaptation of S. G. Browne’s Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament. It was only a few short weeks ago that we learned of her directorial debut, Lamb of God, which we’re hoping to hear more about in the near future.
Responding to the news Cody herself tweeted the following,
Count me in, sign me up, scare me shirtless.
