SweetPaul Entertainment

Wow… this is something that I actually saw coming at some point in the near future, and it’s one that I’m actually happy about. I was a pretty big fan of the original version of the film, but I always thought it was too short, and they didn’t really get into the story as much as I would have liked. I wanted to see more than they offered, which is probably part of why I watched it more than a few times.

Now, Disney is planning a remake of the film:

Brad Copeland is writing the remake, which is being produced by Mandeville partners David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman.

The 1986 original told the story of a 12-year-old boy who is abducted by an alien spacecraft in 1978 and reappears eight years later, still the same age and with no memory of what happened. NASA scientists discover a connection between the boy and a downed spacecraft and try to exploit the boy, who ultimately escapes with the ship and attempts to reunite with his family.

The movie grossed only $17 million when it was released but was later rediscovered on VHS, becoming a cult hit.

John Hyde, who executive produced the first one, steps into the same role for the new version.

Mandeville’s senior vp Albert Page will help oversee development and exec produce. Kristin Burr is overseeing for Disney.

Copeland, repped by UTA, wrote “Wild Hogs” for Disney and is writing “Nightcrawlers” at Warners. He cut his teeth in the TV world, where he acted as writer-producer on “Arrested Development” and recently as writer and consulting producer on “My Name is Earl.”