Johnny Depp = Carl Kolchak?

Kolchak, the Night Stalker, beloved by yours truly for something akin to 40 years, is about to get to prove whether or not a third time’s a charm.  Johnny Depp, Edgar Wright, and Walt Disney will be bringing the adventures of reporter Carl Kolchak to the big screen. Expect a family-friendly PG-13 affair.

Now, don’t get me wrong… I like Depp. But Kolchak? I haven’t been this nervous since Tom Cruise assumed the mantle of Lestat. Depp has been one of my favorite actors — Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, The Ninth Gate, From Hell, etc — and I admire his work ethic and what he brings to the table. Can he pull off Kolchak, the somewhat frumpy everyman with a rapier whit and roguish charm, in the style of the late, great Darren McGavin, or are we going to get Nu’Kolchak ala Stewart Townsend’s failed take on the small screen a few years back?

If it were me, I’d tap a different sort of cat to fill Carl’s pie hat and set up Depp as the baddie in the picture. My preference for the role of the former-ace reporter would be — (cue the obligatory drum roll please) — William H. Macy. He’s got the look and the acting chops to pull off a better than decent McGavin impression. And really, that’s what I want here. I want McGavin. Not a new and different take. McGavin nailed Carl to a T. I want the hat. The suit. The old-school camera.

I’m more than willing to see what Johnny does with the role. Believe me, I’ll be the first one in line regardless of what happens. But preferences being what they are, you’ve read my two cents on the matter.