If, like me, you’re a fan of last year’s Swedish vampire sensation “Let the Right One In,” and you’ve been dreading the Hollywood remake, take comfort in knowing that there might not be reason to worry after all. “Cloverfield” director Matt Reeves has been set to script and helm the English-language redo.
While speaking to the LA Times recently, Reeves defended his vision and shared some interesting new information about his personal take on the young vampire love story, about a bullied 12-year-old who falls for the bloodsucking girl next door. "Twilight" this is not, but the comparisons are there to be made nonetheless.
“I can understand because of people's' love of the [original] film that there's this cynicism that I'll come in and trash it,” Reeves told the newspaper. “I have nothing but respect for the film. I'm so drawn to it for personal and not mercenary reasons, my feeling about it is if I didn't feel a personal connection and feel it could be its own film, I wouldn't be doing it.”
As for the updated info, the new version is scheduled for a fall 2010 release and will simply be called “Let Me In.” That’s the same shortened title as the American version of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s original novel, which is fitting since Reeves will reportedly be looking at that source material as much as he’ll be looking at the first film for his own adaptation. The writer/director just finished his second draft of the script, and he further revealed that the coming remake would be set in snowy Colorado during the Ronald Reagan era.
In addition to already scouting locations for the film, Reeves has begun working with casting director Avy Kaufman, who is known for discovering young child actors for films such as “The Sixth Sense” and “The Ice Storm.” This is perhaps the most important reveal in the update for us worried fans, as Reeves promised that “Let Me In” will not feature older characters in order to cash in on the success of “Twilight” by incorporating a heavier teenage romance.
Of course, just the fact that “Let the Right One In” is being remade at all is likely due to the successes of “Twilight” and “True Blood.” Thanks to Reeves’ update, we don’t have to fear that this will just be a quick and easy cash-in.
It couldn’t be any more dumbed-down than the subtitles on the American DVD release of “Let the Right One In.” OK, I might be giving Hollywood a little too much credit with that assumption, but I remain hopeful.
Are there any “Let the Right One In” fans out there who are now more at ease thanks to Reeves’ defense and update? Or do Twilighters and “True Blood” fans wish that this remake was aged up for steamier vampire love?
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