Remakes are so common now that when announced they're almost immediately disregarded. Even circumstances where the project doesn't sound like such a bad idea they're still dismissed and lumped into the unoriginal pile - and often justifiably. Yet there are times when a remake is not only warranted, but the pieces are also put together so perfectly that we should welcome the revisit and/or new interpretation of the material. The upcoming remake of Carrie sounds great and now there's a set release date for Kimberly Peirce's interpretation of the Stephen King novel.
Coming Soon reports that Screen Gems has plans for Carrie to hit theaters on March 15, 2013. That's not necessarily a date to scoff at since the The Hunger Games just followed a similar schedule (also with a young female lead) and it's currently killing it in with teens at the box office. The 1974 novel was King's fourth book, the first to actually be published, and also the first of many of King's novels brought to the big screen. The original was directed by Brian de Palma and featured unforgettable performances from Sissy Spacek in the titular role and Piper Laurie as her scary, religious fanatic mother. It was announced just at the end of last month that Chloe Moretz is playing the role of Carrie this time around and, even though Spacek left huge shoes to fill (well, they were probably really tiny shoes but she was nominated for an Academy Award), the Let Me In and Kick-Ass actress is the perfect choice to reprise the role.
Personally, I'm not a fan of De Palma so not only am I excited to see someone else's take on the tale, but Peirce seems almost as an inspired a choice as Moretz. Her first film, Boys Don't Cry, was a solid debut, featuring some truly exceptional performances and I'm interested to see what she can get from the young actress who caught everyone's attention with her turn as the precocious sister in (500) Days of Summer. Not to mention, the revenge tale of a pubescent girl with telekinetic powers seems like a project best suited for a female director. Perhaps even more important than having a woman direct The Hunger Games sequel? An issue on everyone's mind lately.
