Paramount is backing a script by Mark Carter based on David Prill's novel, Serial Killer Days. THR report that the story takes place in a town that celebrates the annual arrival of a serial killer with a parade and a pageant. Carter has been hoping to get the book to the big screen for some time, and for a brief period it was thought that Jason Reitman was going to direct it back in 2008 but it dropped off the radar and didn't resurface until now. Assuming Carter's new draft impresses, the likelihood is that he will also direct, making it his first feature film. Producer Dan Dubiecki (Thank You for Smoking) is also on board. Hit the jump for more.

Mark Carter isn't particularly well known to your average film buff, let alone layman, but he directed an award-winning comedy short back in 2001 called The Ballad of Little Roger Mead. He discovered Serial Killer Days whilst browsing a bargain bin at Barnes & Noble in LA, and the title and premise immediately appealed to him.

The Amazon write up for the book is as follows:

David Prill mocks society's love for big-name criminals with a story about a small town in Minnesota where an annual visit (and murder) by a serial killer has become a hilarious tourist attraction--complete with floats in a "Parade of Fear," fake blood running in the streets, inflatable weapons hanging from lamp posts, and a contest to choose the new "Scream Queen." Also, it's an effective coming-of-age portrait of a teen named Debbie Sue, who is charmingly distressed about her inability to be frightened.

Carter proudly proclaims that he hopes to "deliver the expected genre conventions but do it in an idiosyncratic, richly layered and unexpected world. There will also be lots of blood."

Serial killers are all the rage these days. We've had more movies than I can count detailing their murderous escapades, and among them, some especially dark film makers have succeeded in creating a few unforgettable comedies. Since ingenious French serial killer satire Man Bites Dog, we've had Serial Mom, five seasons of the charming sociopath vigilante Dexter, and most recently, John Landis' Burke and Hare. Unfortunately, studio executives made comparisons to Scream and Disturbia, which makes me think Serial Killer Days is unlikely to be as good as any of the above, but we'll have to reserve judgment until the film finally emerges.