“What are you gonna do against a hostile spirit?” “I’m gonna smash it in the face.” Those who caught the New Zealand horror-comedy Housebound last year may remember this spirited exchange, which perfectly captures the attitude of protagonist Kylie Bucknell, one who is not the type to cower from the paranormal activity that runs rampant in her mother's home.

After receiving positive reviews across the board—including Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings and Dead Alive fame—director Gerard Johnstone's Housebound will be reimagined for North American audiences by New Line.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, New Line, aka the house that Freddy built, has acquired the rights to remake Housebound, with Johnstone attached as a producer. The folks at New Line are looking for a writer to pen the adaptation, as well as a director for the project (perhaps they will be one and the same). Jackson himself helped Johnstone get in touch with New Line.

If you're unfamiliar with Housebound or want a little refresher, here's the official synopsis and trailer for the film, which was released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 18th, 2014:

“Kylie Bucknell is forced to return to the house she grew up in when the court places her on home detention. Her punishment is made all the more unbearable by the fact she has to live there with her mother Miriam – a well-intentioned blabbermouth who’s convinced that the house is haunted. Kylie dismisses Miriam’s superstitions as nothing more than a distraction from a life occupied by boiled vegetables & small-town gossip. However, when she too becomes privy to unsettling whispers & strange bumps in the night, she begins to wonder whether she’s inherited her overactive imagination, or if the house is in fact possessed by a hostile spirit who’s not particularly thrilled about her return.

Housebound stars Morgana O’Reilly, Rima Te Wiata and Glen-Paul Waru and is directed by Gerard Johnstone in his feature film debut. It was produced by Luke Sharpe for Semi-Professional Pictures, executive produced by Ant Timpson, Daniel Story and Chris Lambert and funded by the New Zealand Film Commission.”

Source: THR
  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.