Living Dorks director

UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter now officially confirms the below STYD scoop from a month ago.

December 10, 2007 — The recent German teen zomcom NIGHT OF THE LIVING DORKS is on the way as an American remake, and it looks like they found someone with appropriate comedic sensibilities for the undead romp.

Michael Showalter, a member of the late, lamented MTV ensemble sketch show THE STATE (where’s the DVD already?), will be getting behind the camera for the high school horror flick, according to Shock Til You Drop. The movie follows three outcast students who inadvertently become zombies through a voodoo ritual, leading to various partying, girl-chasing and penis-stapling.

Warner Independent and Vertigo (THE RING, THE GRUDGE) are behind the de-Germanized movie, being described as “SHAUN OF THE DEAD meets SUPERBAD”. Which at first sounds eye-rollingly objectionable, but is actually a fairly accurate description of the original and potential tone of the remake. Showalter made his directing debut on the romantic comedy THE BAXTER, and has appeared in everything from SIGNS to WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER since his STATE stint.