The most recent word on an adaptation of Joe Hill‘s Horns came out of the gate this past March, when Shia LaBeouf signed on to lead and creatively influence the project. That was (unfortunately) the last we heard of it for quite some time, but THR now tells us that Piranha 3D‘s Alexandre Aja has just signed with Mandate Films for the project.

It should be said that LaBeouf‘s name is oddly absent from the article, though his involvement is on a level that goes past simply starring; that should be a plenty good reason for him to stick around, right? (It’s still placed on his IMDb page, too.) Either way, Aja will be working with Scott Bunin‘s screenplay, which, like its source material, follows a 26-year-old who wakes up after a night of heavy drinking to discover that horns — which might be connected to his girlfriend’s death — have grown out of his head.

Some may not be too fond of the Frenchman’s aggressive directing style, and while I don’t consider myself a huge fan of it, either, I think it makes perfect sense for this kind of material. I haven’t read it, but knowledge of how the story plays out — and a familiarity with Hill‘s other writing — makes this all the more clear. I just hope I’m proven right. With financing currently being sought by Mandate Pictures, shooting is planned to begin in the spring or beginning of summer.

Have you read the original novel? Do you think Aja is the right man to adapt it?