Posted: Tue., Nov. 7, 2006, 9:00pm PT

Vertigo to replay 'Echo'

Story involves an ex-con who becomes trapped in a cursed apartment

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Vertigo Entertainment will produce thriller "The Echo," a remake of Filipino title "Sigaw."

Helmer-director Yam Laranas will reprise his role behind the camera and shoot from an English-language screenplay by Eric Bernt ("The Hitcher"). Lensing begins in March in Gotham.

Story involves an ex-con who becomes trapped in a cursed apartment when he tries to intervene in an abusive situation with the neighbors.

Pic will be produced by Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison with Shintaro Shimosawa and Tyler Mitchell. The $5 million budget is fully financed by Robert Hoff, a leading venture capitalist with Crosspoint Venture Partners, who puts up coin through his new company RightOff Entertainment. Hoff and Bernt both take exec producer credits.

"We love the Stanley Kubrick style that Yam Laranas achieved on such a small budget and with almost no special effects," Mitchell said. "'Sigaw' is a really tight, contained psychological thriller. We want to give him a bigger stage on which to perform."

Original pic was made in the Tagalog language on a budget of $300,000. It preemed in the Metro Manila Festival and screened at the Fantasporto fest in Portugal and last year's Screamfest in L.A.

Vertigo acquired the rights from Regal Entertainment. Vertigo previously was behind successful remakes including "The Ring" and "The Grudge." Company recently ruled the U.S. box office when "The Departed" and "Grudge 2" topped the charts.