We heard from doctor of plastic surgery/doom Julian McMahon a couple of months ago that he was considering taking a ride as the titular itinerant madman in Michael Bay’s upcoming remake of the 1986 thriller The Hitcher, but now a different hitchhiker is being eyeballed for the part.

According to Bay himself, Sam Rockwell is potentially now standing roadside awaiting C. Thomas Howell’s replacement.  Rockwell, who recently graduated from Crewman #6 to galactic president, is reportedly in talks to slip on the psycho pants previously worn by Rutger Hauer in the great original flick, about a young man on a solo cross-country trek who picks up a murderous loon who haunts him across the desert playing sadistic mind games.

The flick will be directed by music video and commercial shooter Dave Meyers from a script by Jake Wade Wall.   Early rumor is that the update will switch sexes of the protagonist, with healthy Platinum Dunes alum Jessica Biel a favorite the role. 

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