It's okay to be afraid of the dark, just don't be afraid of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." Particularly not when you've got an actor of Guy Pearce's ("Memento") caliber attached to the ticket.
The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop that Pearce will star in "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," a remake of a '70s ABC telefilm about "a young girl who moves in with her father and his girlfriend and discovers they are sharing the house with demonic creatures."
Pearce will play the father in this scenario, with young actress Bailee Madison ("Bridge to Terabithia") starring as his daughter. Playing Pearce's girlfriend is Katie Holmes, who was previously announced for the project in May. Her character eventually agrees with the young girl's assessment that the house is plagued by a monstrous menace.
Say what you will about Katie Holmes, but in my experience Guy Pearce tends to be a pretty reliable barometer on whether or not a movie will be any good. With films like "Memento," "L.A. Confidential" and "The Proposition" under his belt, the Australian actor tends to choose his projects rather wisely.
Hm? What's that? "The Time Machine," you say? Oh... well, yeah, okay. Allow me to revise my statement.
Pearce is typically awesome in every movie that he's in, whether or not the movie is any good. With that in mind, Pearce will likely be awesome in "Afraid of the Dark," even if the film itself isn't up to snuff. Better?
Nonetheless, my money is on "Don't Be Afraid" being a critical success. After all, Guillermo Del Toro is the co-writer and producer of the movie, with his protege Troy Nixey behind the lens. With Del Toro and Pearce on the same project, it would be a heck of a blunder if the flick didn't turn out well.
What do you think of the powerhouse combination of Guy Pearce and Guillermo Del Toro? Match made in heaven, or potential let down? You decide in the comments!
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