Bad news for the fans of the upcoming MASTERS OF HORROR mini-series. 
After numerous rumours, it appears that due to an “insurmountable scheduling problem”, George Romero, who was slated to helm the Clive Barker story HAECKEL’S TALE, has bowed out of the project.
Producers are still trying to lock down Romero for some kind of involvement in the IDT fright anthology (which begins airing October 28th on Showtime, by the way). In Romero’s place, series creator Mick Garris has told Fangoria that John McNaughton, director of HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER and the “visually stunning” WILD THINGS (mmmm, Denise Richards…), has been signed to direct HAECKEL’S TALE, which series producer/creator Mick Garris adapted from the Clive Barker story.
Garris said that he is “really excited to have McNaughton on the show. [HAECKEL’S TALE] is really a different kind of horror movie, being a period piece, set in 1832, and with a real Clive Barker kind of whacked sexuality to it. It’s quite a meal, and I know that John will make it a nutritious one.”
After HENRY’s release two decades ago, the former construction worker went on to direct THE BORROWER, and then dove into the mainstream with MAD DOG AND GLORY, NORMAL LIFE and WILD THINGS. Coincidently, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER is receiving the deluxe DVD treatment with a two-disc set from Dark Sky Films, hitting store shelves later this month (September 27th).
As for Romero’s involvement, we’ll keep a lookout for anything that comes down the pipe, including the reason behind the “scheduling problem”. Check out the whole story, including some news on Fango’s Weekend of Horrors, here.
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