Eli Roth To Direct ‘The House With A Clock In Its Walls’

Eli Roth has staked his cinematic reputation on horror that isn’t afraid to go for broke, serve up plenty of blood, and offer serious thrills, but his films have generally played to his niche audience, and that’s about it. Now, the filmmaker is taking another turn toward to the mainstream (don’t forget, he’s behind the camera on the upcoming “Death Wish” remake starring Bruce Willis), without letting go of his genre leanings.

Deadline reports that Roth will helm “The House With A Clock In Its Walls” with Jack Black slated to star. The film will be an adaptation of the 1973 book by John Bellairs, illustrated by Edward Gorey, that isn’t about a home renovation gone wrong, but centers on a young boy who discovers his Uncle’s house is filled with secrets. Here’s the book synopsis:

Orphaned Lewis Barnavelt comes to live with his Uncle Jonathan and quickly learns that both his uncle and his next-door neighbor are witches on a quest to discover the terrifying clock ticking within the walls of Jonathan’s house. Can the three of them save the world from certain destruction?

The book is the first of twelve in a series by the author, and you can bet somebody is already thinking about franchise potential. But let’s take it one step at time. If all goes well, “The House With A Clock In Its Walls” will start filming this fall. “Death Wish” opens on November 22nd.