Fright Night Remake Lands Director

Published on March 9, 2010 by Martyn Conterio · View Comments

Fright Night was a pretty great 1985 vampire-unliving-next-door film, and now Dreamworks have decided it needs a “revamp” (couldn’t resist). This does not mean it will automatically “suck”. Why? Because former Buffy the Vampire Slayer writer and producer, Marti Noxon, has bashed out the new script! So who’s directing it, you ask? Well, that news is pretty darn good too! Lars and the Real Girl helmer, Craig Gillespie, has signed on for vampire-related shenanigans.

For those who haven’t seen or don’t remember Fright Night, the film starred William Ragsdale as Charlie, a young teenager obsessed with a late night t.v. show called Fright Night and he ends up convinced his new next door (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire. Turns out his hunch was correct. Along with his best bud Evil Ed and a jaded former horror actor (Malcolm McDowell), Charlie turns vampire slayer.

There is rumour an early draft of the script featured a neat twist on events and posited that the original film was a “film-within-a-film” and the new story includes a fan searching down Chris Sarandon to help with the pesky vamp next door. Will that work better than a straight remake? There was also a sequel, Fright Night 2, which had the sister of Sarandon’s character turn up for revenge.

The Fright Night remake is definitely going down quirkier avenues – what with Noxon and Gillespie involved – so this is one to look forward to. Fright Night begins filming later this year. It’s not often I get over-excited about the prospect of a film…but I am now! Fright Night is one of my favourite vampire flicks ever. I even made a Top Ten…see it here