'Poltergeist' Remake Delayed Until 2011

OK...so just a couple days ago we said that MGM was still planning to shoot Poltergeist next year, and no, the title is not a coincidence: This is absolutely a remake of the classic PG horror flick. We wondered, though, what the release date would be. Last we'd heard, it was November 2010.

Now Bloody Disgusting has an update straight from the studio, and not surprisingly, MGM is putting off Poltergeist until sometime in 2011. The reason given: Because of the early 2010 start, "the film just couldn't have been done in time for the November release." Only that's garbage. See, movies don't take as long in post-production these days, which is why Steven Spielberg - who produced the original Poltergeist - could start shooting War of the Worlds in November and have in theaters less than eight months later. Closer to home, Rob Zombie wasn't even hired for Halloween II until January of this year and the film came out before Labor Day.

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MGM Still Vows To Remake 'Poltergeist' Next Year

Understandably, news of MGM's economic woes have led people to question what will happen to several high-profile projects designed to lift the studio out of the mire. The Hobbit is moving forward as planned, and a recent report that Fox would assume at least a distribution stake in James Bond has been refuted, meaning that future box office champeen is staying put, too.

But then there's a trio of 80s movies MGM is remaking, RoboCop, Red Dawn, and Poltergeist. You could argue all three could use an update about as easily as you could argue they're such time capsules of those go-go days that a remake in any case is a bad idea. RoboCop probably garnered the most attention (although it's in a holding pattern right now) and Red Dawn is the first one coming to theaters. It's due out in September. What about Poltergeist? Bloody-Disgusting heard from MGM recently, probably in an effort to borrow money. But part of the discussion was about Poltergeist, and MGM says House of Sand and Fog director Vadim Perelman is still planning to shoot the project as early as the first quarter of 2010.

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They're Back: 'Poltergeist' Remake Coming in 2010

MGM is embarking on retreads from the 1980s. Two of them look pretty good, at least at this stage. Red Dawn comes out in about a year and RoboCop still has Darren Aronofsky attached to direct (for now). The third film in this wave of nostalgia is Poltergeist, but we really haven't heard a blip out of that one until now.

The remake will be in theaters on November 24, 2010, meaning it's going to have to get in front of cameras fairly soon. Shock Till You Drop says that Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog) is the choice to direct, and since this is more of a psychological horror movie than a slasher film, Perelman might be a really good choice. I could think of guys I'd rather see do it, but I'll give him some leeway.

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'Poltergeist' Remake: Director Vadim Perelman Ain't Afraid of No Ghost

I'm a big fan of the game Upgrade/Downgrade. Usually, it's an easy time killer you use to determine which celebrities has moved up from his or her previous relationship and which ones have moved down. Brad Pitt to Angelina from Maniston? Upgrade. Maniston from Pitt to Vince Vaughn et al? Downgrade. I think we'll invoke Angelina again for this professional version of Upgrade/Downgrade, since it appears that director Vadim Perelman will be directing a remake of Poltergeist. Less than three months ago, he was linked to Jolie's pet project, Atlas Shrugged (although she claims he was never in negotiations to direct). I would have to say this is a downgrade. Atlas Shrugged is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you're a risk taker, there are very few projects with more potential than this. Of course, it's an extremely risky adaptation, as any 1,000 page book would be. By definition, this Poltergeist thing isn't a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I mean, it's a remake of a movie that spawned two gawdawful sequels. Then, of course, there's the real strong possibility that Poltergeist was pretty damn good the way it was, a mainstream frightfest for kids of almost any age, and that's a hard thing to replicate, especially when the original holds up a lot better than most 25 - 30-year-old paranormal suspense thrillers. And don't even get me started on the curse... Be that as it may, Bloody Disgusting says Perelman is in talks to direct the remake for MGM, and the script will be tackled by Juliet Snowden and Stiles White. I must confess I'm not familiar with their previous work, although they did hammer out the screenplays for the upcoming remake of The Birds and the Alex Proyas supernatural Knowing. The Hollywood Reporter says the story likely appealed to Perelman because his films have dealt with the way a family handles an "extraordinarily intense situation," and while that might be it, I'm going to say it's the money.