David Lindsay-Abaire offered POLTERGEIST reboot writing gig by MGM

It looks as though the planned Poltergeist remake is beginning to move closer to production at MGM. The film had been in the works before MGM had financial woes, but not that they are settled and business is back to normal things seem to be moving forward. Vulture reports that the studio has offered David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) the job of penning the script to the classic.  

Vulture also reported that Lindsay-Abaire has confirmed that he was offered the job, but no deal has been made yet. Lindsay-Abaire is a Pulitzer-prize winning playwright and up and coming screenwriter. His most recent play, Good People, just wrapped starring Frances McDormand. The play and McDormand are nominated for Tony Awards.

MGM has new bosses Roger Birnbaum and Gary Barber who are co-financing the project and have a bit of experience rebooting franchises. They were also co-financed J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot. Fans of the originals should be happy to know that the MGM is not planning on going the easy route for this project. They want to have Lindsay-Abaire craft the project in whatever direction he decides. Horror films do not have to cost a lot to be great. Take Insidious and Paranormal Activity, both films made for next to nothing in Hollywood terms and yet raked in the dollars at the box office. The original film cost $10 million back in 1982 (less than $25 million in today's dollars) and grossed eleven times that amount worldwide. 

I am not fully sold on a reboot of this film, but I am happy to know that MGM is taking it seriously. What sets good and bad horror films apart for me is a good story. The idea that MGM has offered a solid writer the job of crafting the entire vision of this remake is a great start. What are your thoughts on this news?