From 2001-2005, Hollywood went on a bender adapting Japanese horror into English-language thrillers starring pretty young actresses (Naomi Watts, Sarah Michelle Gellar) and ghost-faced, black-eyed children. The trend fizzled, as trends do, but appears ready to start back up again as producers eye a potential remake of a Taiwanese hit.

Marko King, Mary King and Jonathan Watters – the screenwriting team hired to pen Frankie & Alice for Halle Berry – have been tapped by Gold Circle to adapt Chao-Bin Su’s 2006 thriller Silk for American audiences. The story involves a crippled scientist who invents a device dubbed the “Menger Sponge,” which he uses to capture the ghostly spirits of a child. The other main character in the piece, Detective Tung, joins the scientist’s research team to figure out why the angry spirit will not fade, even as government officials learn about the “Sponge” and try to shut the scientist down.

The Hollywood Reporter, which breaks the story, describes the film concept as “Michael Crichton meets The Sixth Sense,” which suggests both suspense and smarts. It’s Gold Circle’s second genre movie after The Haunting in Georgia, a horror movie that has yet to be released which stars Chad Michael Murray, Abigail Spencer and Katee Sackhoff. But Gold Circle isn’t limiting itself to that type of storytelling. They’re also producing a musical comedy titled Pitch Perfect starring Anna Kendrick (50/50, Up In the Air) as a contestant in a Glee-inspired a capella singing competition.

As for Silk, it sounds interesting. So much of it will depend on who is hired to direct, so we’ll keep you posted on any developments.