http://chud.com/nextraimages/ripd.jpgThis weekend I had a chance to talk with Phil Hay, the writer of Aeon Flux,
coming to DVD this month. The interview is an interesting one, I think,
because we talked about what didn’t work with the film, and what
happened to the movie between Karyn Kusama’s director’s cut and the
final version that hit theaters and will be on DVD. Look for that
interview later this month.

While I had Phil on the phone, I
wanted to find out about his upcoming projects, and he spilled some
cool beans to me – he and his writing partner Matt Manfredi are writing an
adaptation of the comic book RIPD for Wedding Crashers helmer David Dobkin to direct.

Says Phil: “It’s kind of about a spectral police force. It’s very much a Ghostbusters or Men In Black
vibe. It’s an action comedy, very heavy on the comedy. That process has
been really great, and I think it’s going to be a good movie. Dobkin is
incredibly good at this stuff.”
As for when the film will be out? “We
are working as fast as we can. I don’t know anything officially, but
we’re all very excited about it and we’re trying to get it out there as
soon as we can.”

RIPD wouldn’t be Dobkin’s next – he’s got a Santa Claus movie starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti first.

Phil and Matt also wrote a script called Parasyte, which currently has Japanese director Takashi Shimizu on board. I asked him what that one was about: “We
haven’t been involved in the project in a while and I know there were
other drafts and things, so I’m not exactly sure what direction he’s
planning to go with it. I certainly think it can be a very interesting
and cool movie. The version we wrote was definitely in the Tremors
vibe. It was very much a horror-comedy. I don’t know if that’s
[Shimizu’s] direction, or if it’s going to be more straight horror this
time around.”

Phil and Matt also have a more adult horror
film in the works that they’ll direct, and they’re writing another film
for Karyn Kusama to direct – a war movie. Look for the details on these
when the full interview runs!