Since apparently there are no new ideas out there, Universal Pictures is working on a remake of the classic 1963 Alfred Hitchcock horror movie The Birds. The studio just hired a director to get the project rolling.
The project is being produced by Michael Bay’s company, Platinum Dunes, and Mandalay Pictures for Universal, notes The Hollywood Reporter.
Dutch director Diederik Van Rooijen was hired to helm the remake. He is best known for Penoza, a Dutch series that was adapted by ABC as Red Window. His film Taped is also getting an English adaptation that will be made at Sony. However, The Birds will be his first project stateside.
Universal has wanted to make a new version of The Birds for years and even had Oscar nominee Naomi Watts attached to star. While she would fit the part - she’s blonde just like original star Tippi Hedren - she has left the project. Jonathan Herman wrote the latest draft of the screenplay.
Variety reports that in addition to Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller of Platinum and Mandalay’s David Zelon are producing.
The original film is often seen as Hitchcock’s last great film. It starred Hedren as a socialite who visits a small town that is suddenly attacked by birds. There’s no explanation for the attack and Hitchcock even deliberately gave the film an open ending. It will be interesting to see if Universal tries to repeat that or if they’ll try to get the thrills bogged down by details.
Hitchcock’s movie was based on a story written by Rebecca novelist Daphne Du Maurier.
image courtesy of Amazon