Finally, finally we have bragging rights on this remake – can we now say “I told you so?” It was officially announced today that MGM is moving forward on their remake of Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg’s classic ’82 horror film, Poltergeist, which we broke the news on back in November of 2006. Inside you can find out who is writing the remake and then cringe a little with me.
Juliet Snowden and Stiles White (The Birds, Knowing) are going into the light.

The “Boogeyman” scribes are rolling out more children’s nightmares for MGM’s planned remake of “Poltergeist,” the 1982 horror film that made “they’re here …” the creepiest announcement ever voiced by a 6-year-old kneeling in front of a static-filled television.

The original “Poltergeist,” directed by Tobe Hooper from a script co-written by Steven Spielberg, miraculously skirted an R rating despite its children-in-constant-peril, toy clown-strangling, face-peeling, skeleton-swimming medley of horrors. The MGM/UA release grossed $122 million worldwide and earned Oscar nominations for its ILM-designed visual effects, sound effects and score.

The story of a suburban home built over an Indian burial ground and thus inhabited by a nasty spook earned further cult status when two of the child actors in the movie died after the film’s release. Two nerve-jangling sequels were produced.

Horror thrillers are in Snowden and White’s blood. The writers, repped by ICM, co-wrote the $46 million-grossing 2005 release “Boogeyman” for Sam Raimi and Ghost House. They’ve had a hand in the never-hatching remake of “The Birds” for Universal. And they’ve co-written “Knowing,” a Summit Entertainment release directed by Alex Proyas and starring Nicolas Cage, that is due in March.

Click here for all of our previous stories on the remake.