A few weeks back I relayed some info from the latest draft of Dreamworks’ “Fright Night’ remake.

Here’s the original story for those that missed it :

Firstly, the flick. It features the same story as the ’85 classic – weedy kid discovers his next door neighbor is a vampire – but just modernizes the characters and situation, tweaks a few of the rules, rather creatively mind you (a vampire – for instance, a ‘turned’ Evil Ed’ – can be ‘invited in’ by intercom.There’s a cool moment in the script where Peter Vincent’s assistant accidentally ‘buzzes’ in Ed to Vincent’s workplace) and ramps up the horror. I actually really like it… I think this could be actually be a *shocker* ‘good remake’! There’s enough of the old movie here, but some welcome new elements to the story that I think audiences will enjoy.

*SPOILER ALERT*

(Don’t read on if you don’t want to know anything, Okay!?)

The main characters are :

Charlie – Typical teenager. Lives with his Mother Jane. Goes out with Amy. Discovers his next-door neighbor is a vampire. Mother won’t have a bar of it. Decks-out his whole house in anti-vampire garb, anyway. Trained by a TV personality, Peter, in the art of killing vampires.

Jerry – The Vampire living next door to Charlie. 30′s. gets around in a wife-beater and Jeans. muscular. described in the script as a “All-American Adonis”. Turns Charlie’s friends (Ed, Adam) and school teacher (Mrs Granada). Not so much the ‘Dracula’-type that Chris Sarandon was in the original film – a lot more frightening.

Evil Ed – ‘Evil Ed’ is an emo…. or a comic-book loving punk. ‘Ed’ believes he and Charlie’s pal Adam has gone missing. Adam, you see, hasn’t been answering his text messages because he and his family have been slaughtered by vampires. Even when Ed discovers the truth, that vampires killed Adam and his family, nobody – not even Charlie, who suggests his friend has been watching too much “Twilight” – believes him. Ed is ultimately turned by the vampire ‘Jerry’ into a black-eyed, sharp toothed monster (not even Peter’s “crucification nails” are a match for him).

Amy – Charlie’s virginal girlfriend. Bit of a sports nut. Runs track-and-field. Unlike the first film, Amy isn’t turned by Jerry (though she finds him incredibly, well, tempting -being that he’s so attractive, muscular and all) quite so early, and remains by her boyfriend’s side to fight the rogues for a while – well, once he finally tells her what’s going on that is. When Amy is finally turned, right at the end of the pic, she and Charlie have this terrific battle. He puts up a bit more of a fight for her in this one though.

Peter – TVs ‘Master of Illussion’. Really knows his vampires – has had a history with them. Huge fan base. Lives in a Penthouse. Has an assistant, Arthur. When Ed infiltrates his home, he and Charlie are forced to hide out in the ‘Panic Room’. Serves as somewhat of a Yoda-figure to Charlie – especially near the pictures’ end, when Charlie needs to save Peter.

Today, Shock Til You Drop (headlined by Hollywood’s Own Ryan Rotten) chimed in with some news on the Peter Vincent character – and it fits in with what we reported earlier.

According to Rotten, writer Martin Noxon has opted to make Vincent not the host of a TV show but “a Criss Angel-type. A master showman,” which makes perfect sense considering the Vegas setting.

As I reported above, Vincent would be “TVs ‘Master of Illussion’. Really knows his vampires – has had a history with them. Huge fan base. Lives in a Penthouse. Has an assistant, Arthur. When Ed infiltrates his home, he and Charlie are forced to hide out in the ‘Panic Room’. Serves as somewhat of a Yoda-figure to Charlie – especially near the pictures’ end, when Charlie needs to save Peter.”

Interestingly enough, Rotten says that the idea was floated about to have Chris Sarandon play the role – but as himself… “Fright Night” star Chris Sarandon. I love that idea. That’s fabulous. But alas, it was likely dropped fearing the target market for the redo won’t have seen the original film, let alone know who [the legendary] Chris Sarandon is.