Fright Night remake gets a director?

DreamWorks is ramping up its planned remake of FRIGHT NIGHT (previously announced last year) and has hired a director to bring the film into the 21st century. Who is it? Hint: it’s probably not who you would think. DreamWorks is in final talks with Craig Gillespie (LARS AND THE REAL GIRL) to direct the film based on a script by Marti Noxon.

While it may seem like an odd choice to have a director known for his indie dramedy and low-brow comedy (MR. WOODCOCK) take over a big horror redo, Gillespie has some ties to DreamWorks that might’ve helped him get the gig. Gillespie co-produces (and directs) “The United States of Tara,” the Diablo Cody Showtime series that just so happens to also be produced by Steven Spielberg who just so happens to be the head honcho at DreamWorks. But just because he’s buddies with Spielbergo, does that mean he’s the right guy for the job?

I know he doesn’t have a lot of horror cred (as the kids would say) but honestly I think it’s a great choice. WOODCOCK aside (a film that was tampered with mightily by New Line during its release), LARS was a mighty fine film and showed that Gillespie has some pretty strong chops as a director. And frankly I’d rather just have a really good director than a director who watched CRITTERS 3 ten times when he was 12 years old. What do you think? Solid choice or mismatch?