EXCLUSIVE: J.D. Dillard, whose directorial feature debut Sleight made waves at Sundance last year, is in negotiations to direct and co-write a remake of classic horror pic The Fly for Fox. He would pen the script with writing partner Alex Theurer.

There have been rumors buzzing around for a while that a remake of the story of a scientist who mutates into a grotesque human fly was on the horizon. David Cronenberg’s 1986 body-horror classic, which starred Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, is considered arguably one of the director’s best pieces of work. That film was a remake of the 1958 version, produced and directed by Kurt Neumann and based on a short story by George Langelaan, which was followed by two sequels: Return of the Fly and Curse of the Fly. Should the Dillard-Theurer deal make, it would really move the project, and potential franchise, forward for Fox.

Dillard and Theurer certainly would bring fresh blood to the cult-classic horror pic: Dramatic thriller Sleight, which Dillard directed and co-wrote with Theurer, blended science fiction and street magic in a tale set in Los Angeles. It sees a young street magician who is left to care for his sister turn to drug peddling to keep a roof over their heads. When he gets in too deep, his sister is kidnapped and he is forced to use his magic and brilliant mind to save her. WWE Studios and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse acquired the title after it premiered in the Sundance Film Festival’s Next section last year. It hits cinemas on April 28.

Dillard is in pre-production on Sweetheart, also for Blumhouse. That horror-thriller, which he co-wrote with Theurer as well as Alex Hyner, has set Dope’s Kiersey Clemons to star.

Dillard and Theurer are repped by CAA, Circle of Confusion and attorney Lev Ginsburg.