Breck Eisner directing THE CRAZIES

Bloody Disgusting first reported it last night and then the trades have confirmed it today. SAHARA director Breck Eisner will helm a remake of George A. Romero's 70's horror movie THE CRAZIES from a script rewrite by Ray Wright (PULSE). The film is being produced at Rogue Pictures after Paramount let their option on the film cease.

Production is set to begin as soon as a SAG deal is made. "The Crazies" will update the storyline of the original, in which inhabitants of a small Pennsylvania town are beset by death and insanity after a plane crash lets loose a secret biological weapon into the water supply.

I've never seen THE CRAZIES but from the original trailer below it looks like a pretty decent idea for a movie and could turn out to be pretty spectacular if given a decent budget. It is of course very reminiscent of the Romero zombie pictures which would later go on to influence the 28 DAYS LATER/WEEKS LATER flicks. I can't say I cared much for his SAHARA movie but it's pretty obvious by the movies he puts his name out too that he's a horror fan. Maybe he can do something good in this genre?