Edgar Wright has, thus far in his career, remained a fan favorite while staying outside the mainstream. That may change soon since Disney has tapped the director to helm The Night Stalker, featuring Johnny Depp in the lead. Originating as a TV movie followed by a series, The Night Stalker followed the adventures of tabloid reporter Carl Kolchak as his stories led him to supernatural events and creatures, including zombies, vampires, werewolves, and aliens. Since this project is under the Disney banner, it will follow the studio’s family film mandate and likely aim for a PG-13 rating. Wright will shape the film with Depp from the ground up, especially since a screenwriter has yet to be hired. However, since there’s quite a bit of development left to work on, it’s hard to say whether this will be Wright’s next directing effort or not.

This news comes as somewhat of a surprise given the number of other films that Wright has had in development the past few years, including the comic book adaptation Ant-Man and a third collaboration with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost called At World’s End. Still, the combination of the Hot Fuzz director and Depp is intriguing and the material seems well in line with their talents. While Wright may be new to the Disney scene, Depp has essentially made it his home, which should add some extra clout to the project. Depp’s production company Infinitum Nihil has also come on board to produce. What are your thoughts on Edgar Wright teaming up with Johnny Depp on The Night Stalker?