‘Poltergeist’ Remake Might Add Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell is reportedly in talks to join the upcoming Poltergeist remake over at MGM.

Since the studio has suffered some financial setbacks over the years, it would seem executives are more than willing to mine their back catalog for future projects. One of the productions that’s quickly building steam is the remake of Tobe Hooper’s 80s horror classic.

Although nothing has been confirmed just yet, word around the internet suggests that Rockwell is currently being considered for a role in the Poltergeist remake. A source close to the project recently told The Wrap that the Seven Psychopaths star is at the top of the proverbial list.

However, Sam Rockwell is presently weighing a number of different offers. The filmmakers behind the reboot might want him on-board, but the actor has yet to make a decision on the matter. Should he accept the part, Rockwell will play the character previously inhabited by Craig T. Nelson.

Previous reports stated that Cinderella Man star Rosemarie DeWitt has already signed on for MGM and Fox 2000’s Poltergeist remake. Monster House director Gil Kenan will step behind the camera for the upcoming horror flick.

As far as the script is concerned, Oz: The Great and Powerful scribe David Lindsay-Abaire has been tapped to bring the story to life. Depending on how you felt about director Sam Raimi’s most recent cinematic endeavor, that’s either a really good or a really bad idea.

Produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Tobe Hooper, the 1982 version of Poltergeist told the story of a family in the suburbs who are forced to contend with a series of increasingly violent supernatural encounters. The parents enlist the help of paranormal investigators when their daughter goes missing.

For many horror fans, Poltergeist is one of the scariest motion pictures ever committed to celluloid. If Kenan hopes to match the intensity found in the original, then he certainly has his work cut out for him. The re-imagining is set for release next year.

Are you excited that Sam Rockwell could sign on for the Poltergeist remake?

[Image via CBS Films]