I stayed up way past my bedtime and was scared out of my little kid mind by The Night Stalker. Darren McGavin played tabloid reporter Carl Kolchak in the 1970’s ABC series. Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) will direct Johnny Depp in a big screen version for Disney according to Deadline.

 

  The reporter covered the crime beat for a tabloid and encountered werewolves, vampires, aliens and zombies. An episode with a monster that sucked the salt of its victims was the one that really freaked me out. 

  Kolchak appeared in two made for tv movies and then the series only last one year but what an impact. The series is often credited as the inspiration for The X-Files. In fact McGavin played the founder of the X-Files in a few episodes. ABC attempted a reboot of the series in 2006.

 

  This Geek’s Opinion: Johnny Depp is a perfect actor to inherit the role made famous by the great Darren McGavin. Wright’s track record of horror and humor makes him perfect for the occult cases of Kolchak! After looking at the old show opening I almost hope they set the new movie in the 70’s.