Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds could be the next Hollywood horror classic getting the remake treatment, a source from Giant Freakin Robot breaks the news.
Universal would of course be behind the remake of the 1963 thriller, and if the rumor is true, Scarlett Johansson is being considered for the lead role. If this is the case, let's hope they steer clear of a shot-for-shot remake -- I'm looking at you 1998's Psycho -- and instead settle for something a little more original. Does Mike Flanagan have an opening in his schedule?
The Birds first horrified audiences back in March of 1963, telling the story of a small seaside town that is terrorized by menacing flocks of birds. Starring Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, and Jessica Tandy, The Birds was met with mixed reviews upon release, gaining its classic status in later years. A TV sequel, The Birds II: Land's End, was released in 1994 and the director chose to not have his name appear in the film.
At this time, it's unclear if The Birds remake will rely solely on the Hitchcock film, or if it will try and draw some inspiration from the 1952 source material, a short story by Daphne du Maurier set in a small coastal town in England. Still in the very early stages of development, The Birds remake, if it's not too early to call it that, currently has no attached director or writer, but it will be exciting to find out who gets the job as more breaking news comes forward.
If the rumors are true -- and if they are we have Giant Freakin Robot's source to thank -- we could be getting a remake of The Birds in the near future. I'd personally like to see a bloodier Birds film with more eye-gouging, and maybe some homicidal woodpeckers that can put large holes in your head.
