AceShowbiz -

This sure will be one promising horror movie to watch in the future. Variety revealed that Dimension Picture has intended to bring up "The Mist" to the surface based on Stephen King's novella of the same name with acclaimed director Frank Darabont at helm.

"It's a project Stephen King and I have been talking about doing for almost 20 years now," Darabont remarked. "In fact, it almost was my first directing project many years ago, but I went classy and did 'The Shawshank Redemption' instead. It's time to get down and dirty and make a nasty little character-driven gut-punch horror movie."

Also tapped to pen the film's script, Darabont is eyeing a date somewhere in spring to begin the production. No names attached yet in the cast, but it has been reported that Thomas Jane is currently in negotiations to have a starring part in the project.

As for its premise, the movie will likely follow the story of the original version, which was published in 1985 as part of King's short story collection "Skeleton Crew." It centers on the terror faced by the dwellers of a small town as they are surrounded by a thick mist that kills those caught in its darkness.