Since 2007, New Line and Warner Bros. have been developing a remake of the Spanish film. Now, the studios are in talks with director Mark Pellington, who was behind the films U2 3D, Henry Poole Is Here, The Mothman Prophecies and Arlington Road.
The original 2007 version was directed by Juan Antonio Bayona and produced by Guillermo del Toro, who will be producing the new version with Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson of ContraFilm. Del Toro also co-wrote the new screenplay with Larry Fessenden.
The film tells the story of Laura, played by Belen Rueda (The Sea Inside), who purchases the abandoned orphanage where she spent her childhood. She wants to turn it into an establishment aiding handicapped children. However, it doesn’t take long before she finds that her imaginary friend who haunted her childhood is back to terrorize her son. She will ask for help from a group of parapsychologists to unravel the mystery.
Pellington is also set to direct the thriller Solace, which is slated for 2011. The script is currently in the process of being written.