Though he got his start writing entries for the Paranormal Activity franchise (and directing Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones), Christopher Landon has become best known for his own output, including the two Happy Death Day movies and Freaky. Now he's taking on a classic horror comedy, signing on to write and direct a new version of Arachnophobia.
The 1990 original focused on a small town terrorized by a colony of deadly South American spiders accidentally brought into the States Jeff Daniels starred as a doctor who moves his family from the big city for the calm bucolic small-town life with John Goodman playing a know-it-all exterminator. It was directed by Frank Marshall, who will return as an executive producer here.
The Amblin team will produce this one alongside James Wan's Atomic Monster company, and Landon will be hoping avoid the traditional deluge of "whyyyyyy??!!!" social media messages that accompany any announcement such as this. He's also long proved that he can blend humour and horror, which is ideal for the material.
And if it is a success, dare we hope it opens the door back up to Landon's third planned Happy Death Day movie?