Guillermo del Toro and Miramax are set to remake the horror-thriller telefilm Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Comic book artist-writer Troy Nixey makes his feature directorial debut with the adaptation of ABC's 1973 cult classic.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Del Toro is adapting Nigel McKeand's teleplay with Matthew Robbins, his writing partner on the 1997 horror film Mimic for Miramax's former genre label Dimension.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark centers on a young girl, sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend, who discovers sinister creatures that live underneath the stairs.

The film is in its early stages; research and development of the monsters hasn't begun yet, and other producers might come aboard. Moviegoers can expect an upscale creature feature along the lines of del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, with an emphasis on distinctive characters in keeping with the Miramax slate.

Directed by John Newland, the original telefilm gained a cult following through syndication and home video release.

No production date has been set.