"30 Days of Night" put writer Steve Niles on the map for horror comics readers everywhere, but his work has been a hot commodity in Hollywood for a number of years now, too. "Freaks of the Heartland," a 6-issue miniseries he wrote for Dark Horse Comics in 2004 is just one project on a list of upcoming in-the-works movies bearing his name, which also includes "Wake the Dead" and a potential "30 Days of Night" sequel.
Even so, when the "Freaks" adaptation was announced in October, many wondered why "Pineapple Express" director David Gordon Green was chosen to bring Niles' dark tale to the screen. As Niles explained to MTV News, however, Green was the perfect choice for the dark film.
"It's funny, because now he’s on everyone’s radar because of 'Pineapple Express' -- but I was a fan of his before that and I know that he had wanted to do 'Freaks of the Heartland,'" Niles told MTV News. "I think he’s got a movie in between, but right now we actually have a screenplay and we’re going back to work on that. And that’s just progressing great."
The story in "Freaks of the Heartland" follows a freakishly deformed boy and his brother who run away together and help a band of other mutant children from their community do the same. Niles said he's been in regular contact with Green since he was recruited for the movie, and revealed the projects that earned him the director's chair.
"It was stuff like 'George Washington' and 'Undertow' that made me think this guy's perfect," said Niles. "And now it’s funny because everyone’s going 'Yeah, the guy who did 'Pineapple Express' is doing it,' but you really have to see this guy’s earlier movies, they're very dark."
Have you seen David Gordon Green's work prior to "Pineapple Express"? Do you think he'll be a good fit for Niles' material in "Freaks of the Heartland"? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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