New ‘Poltergeist gets a rating, still set for 2015 summer

Back in the 1980s the  original Poltergeist was at the beginning of a ratings controversy and the new PG-13 designation. Now the 2015 “remake/reboot” has landed the same MPAA rating.

Not surprising, the PG-13 is for “intense frightening sequences, brief suggestive material, and some language” and won’t exclude the high school aged audience to keep the door open to a bigger box office turnout.

This new film is directed by Gil Keenan (Monster House), with Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Spider-Man trilogy) producing. Jared Harris plays a TV personality who hosts a cable TV show called  “Haunted House Cleaners.” That brings him into contact with a family (Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt) whose house is haunted in some manner. Saxon Sharbino and Jane Adams also star.

The film is said to be both a sequel and reboot: Rockwell ( Iron Man 2) will play Eric Bowen, whose daughter Madison is kidnapped by supernatural and stuck in limbo between life and death forces.

From an early report: “In a scene in the new movie , children find some objects in the attic . Yes , you guessed it – they are some of the belongings of the first family film , intentionally left behind . There are bed sheets (Star Wars from Robbie’s room) , a television in black and white (of course ! ) And some Christmas decorations,” Brazil’s cinepop’s article summarizes.

Duirng that time, Harris confirmed the film will get a 3-D adaptation as well., which may prove the studio has confidence in the film. Now the move from the original February 13, 2015 release date to come out next summer.

Poltergeist will open in theaters (in 3D) on July 24, 2015. [via B-D]