ANGUISH AT THE JAKE WALL PITCH

Variety reports:

Universal Pictures has picked up "Anguish," a pitch by Jake Wade Wall based on the 1987 Spanish horror film, "Anguistia."

Roy Lee and Doug Davison are producing through their Vertigo banner, with Bigas Luna, George Ayoub and Vertigo's Sonny Mallhi exec producing.

Original film, helmed by Luna, was a horror-movie-within-a-horror movie. As an audience in a small theater watches a pic about an optometrist on a killing spree, a maniac begins killing the moviegoers.

Wall penned the remake of the frightener "When a Stranger Calls." Wall has also penned "The Hitcher" for Rogue Pictures and Platinum Dunes and "Amusement" at Picturehouse.

U-based Vertigo's producing credits include other horror imports including "The Ring" and "The Ring Two." Company recently wrapped on sequel "The Grudge 2" and have "The Lake House," starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves skedded for a June release.