Exclusive: Remake of Killer Bee Movie ‘The Swarm’ Takes Flight

Producers Roy Lee and Steven Schneider are developing a remake of Irwin Allen’s 1978 cult classic disaster movie

EXCLUSIVE

In the bloody wake of the success of "Piranha 3D," another cult classic B-movie is being remade that is sure to have genre fans "buzzing" with anticipation.

Producers Roy Lee ("The Ring") of Vertigo Entertainment and Steven Schneider ("Paranormal Activity") of Room 101 are developing a remake of the 1978 Irwin Allen disaster movie "The Swarm," TheWrap has learned.

The original starred Michael Caine as an entomologist who learns that killer bees from South America have been coming together to form huge swarms. He sets out to stop the military from attacking and worsening the imbalance in nature, ultimately teaming up with them to prevent the deadly swarm from reaching Houston.

Award-winning commercials director Ash Bolland is attached to direct and a writer is expected to be hired within the next month, although it's unclear whether they'll be working from the Arthur Herzog novel that served as the basis for Allen's movie, or writing an original screenplay.

"The Swarm" flopped at the box office and has been subsequently disowned by Caine, but it still has a fervent following among genre enthusiasts thanks to its impressive cast, which included Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland, Ben Johnson, Henry Fonda, Patty Duke, Slim Pickens and Fred MacMurray in his final role.

Bolland is represented by Anonymous Content.

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