Brian De Palma Heads for Paranormal Activity 2?

The L.A. Times has reported that Brian De Palma is the biggest of three big-name directors being considered to direct Paranormal Activity 2. This has sent film geeks at large into a tail spin. De Palma has a reputation as an idiosyncratic genre filmmaker whose films, including work-for-hire projects like Mission to Mars, are considered to be deeply personal and exciting works of vrai cinema. Clearly, that reputation is a lil overblown (Sorry De Palma boosters, but I gave Femme Fatale a shot and frankly, I just don't see it). Still, the prospect of seeing him take a stab at the Paranormal franchise is exciting in light of how proudly spare the first film's aesthetic was. What better way to switch gears totally and completely than by hiring a filmmaker whose signature style of fetishizing violence on screen oozes decadence?

The sad thing about this news is that nobody's paying attention to the other two contenders: Brad Anderson (Transsiberian, The Machinist) and Greg Mclean (Wolf Creek, Rogue). Any of these three guys would probably make a sequel I'd want to see. At the same time, the fact that all three of are recognizable directors goes to show people just how much money the little franchise that could now has to throw around. The L.A. Times reports that one of the three directors is likely to be attached to the project shortly so that filming can get underway ASAP to meet the film's projected October released date. It's like hiring an accomplished chef to make fast food. More as it develops.