Says Deadline in an exclusive report, "Wright, best known for directing Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, comes aboard before the studio has set a writer, and he will oversee and shape the project with Depp from the ground floor. As Deadline revealed, the film took root at the studio last summer, borne out of Depp and Dembrowski’s fond memories of the original 70s movie and series that starred Darren McGavin. He covered crime for a tabloid and his cases always led to supernatural perpetrators that included zombies, vampires, werewolves and aliens. Of course, neither his editor nor anyone else would believe him or allow him to run what seemed like outrageous stories. But Kolchak would put himself in grave danger each episode. David Kennedy will be exec producer of the film."
McGavin's Kolchak appeared in the 1972 TV movie The Night Stalker, followed by 1973's The Night Strangler and then, a year later, in a 20-episode TV series. ABC recently rebooted the show with Frank Spotnitz of The X-Files.
