"White Noise" making more static with a sequel

\nGold Circle Films announced that it is moving ahead with \"White Noise 2: The Light,\" a sequel to its big \"hit\" that grossed \$57 million upon its release last January, according to The Hollywood Reporter.\n\n\"White Noise\" starred Michael Keaton as an architect whose desire to speak with his recently deceased wife, played by Chandra West, from beyond the grave turns into a dangerous obsession with ghastly repercussions. The movie focused on E.V.P. (Electronic Voice Phenomena) where, according to believers, amidst the white noise of a detuned radio you can hear voices of the dead. Using a detuned television, you can see their faces. Reason enough for HD cable and a well-charged iPod?\n\nIn the new film, a man's family is murdered and he is brought back from the brink of death. Endowed with post-traumatic psychic abilities, the man soon realizes he can identify those among the living who are about to die. However, when he tries to save people from their fate, he discovers there is a price to paid for interfering with the natural order of life and death.\n\nDespite terrible reviews (see Filmfodder's review by Brian Orndorf), \"White Noise\" brought in enough money - \$91.2 million worldwide according to Filmfanzine - to keep studio execs interested in creating a franchise. The project, penned by new writer Matt Venne, is hunting for a director and aiming for a production start of January 2006. \n\nWith a different creative crew, perhaps the sequel will tune into to something of better quality. Otherwise, \"The Light\" will prove to be just another dim sequel attempting to separate audiences from their cash. -- Shannon Nolley