THE BIRDS Remake Finds Its Director

Unnecessary remake takes flight once again…

Heat Vision reports that Dutch filmmaker Diederik Van Rooijen (‘Penoza,’ ‘Daylight’) has been tapped by Universal to take the director’s chair for the long-in-development re-imagining of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds.’

The original 1963 horror classic, which starred Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren, was based on Daphne Du Maurier’s short story about a small Northern California town where birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness.

Martin Campbell (‘Edge of Darkness,’ ‘Casino Royale’) was at one point set to direct, with Naomi Watts (‘Diana,’ ‘Eastern Promises’) attached to play the female lead.

The screenplay for the remake comes from Jonathan Herman.

Michael Bay and Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are producing alongside Peter Guber and David Zelon of Mandalay Pictures.