Vampires continue to be all the rage, but another classic horror creature is waiting in the wings for his time to shine. As we reported on the site earlier, there are as many as eight potential Frankenstein movies in the works at various studios. But today, one feature took a monster step closer toward becoming a reality.

Night at the Museum director Shawn Levy will direct a movie based on Mary Shelley’s misunderstood creature, according to Variety. The trade says Levy beat out Paul Greengrass and David Yates to earn the gig. He’ll work from a screenplay written by Chronicle scribe Max Landis, son of director John Landis.

Levy is able to take on the assignment because his planned remake of the 1966 sci-fi classic Fantastic Voyage has been put on hold for the time being. As we reported, the director is lobbying hard to cast Will Smith in the lead role of a scientist who is reduced to microscopic size and injected into the bloodstream of a diplomat. It’s unclear why Fox would balk at the idea of casting Smith in anything, let alone a sci-fi action thriller with Levy, a proven talent, at the helm. Then again, maybe they saw Wild Wild West or maybe Smith isn’t interested because the third Men In Black is coming out next year. Maybe Levy can accomplish two goals in one film by somehow bringing Smith with him to this new Frankenstein project. Smith has yet to try horror over the course of his lengthy and extremely successful career. Is it time the Fresh Prince gave Frankenstein some thought?