Variety reports that Thor Freudenthal will direct They Came From Upstairs, which Barry Josephson is producing via his Josephson Entertainment for 20th Century Fox. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in May.
The script, written by British scribe Mark Burton (Madagascar, “Wallace & Gromit”), centers on a group of kids defending their vacation home in Maine from aliens who have invaded from upstairs.
Josephson was turned on to Freudenthal when he saw the director’s commercials reel. Also featured was Freudenthal’s Sundance short Motel — a witty, noirish piece about a guy who checks into a motel where weird things happen.
The trade says that Josephson was struck by the tone and humor of Freudenthal’s work, which reminded him of Men in Black, a film he oversaw when he was president of production at Columbia Pictures.
Freudenthal has two screenplays set up that he co-wrote and is attached to direct: C.E.O. at Alcon Entertainment, which Sid Ganis is producing, and Dead Ever After, which Luc Besson is producing for Europa Corp.
