Variety is reporting that MGM has acquired The Cabin in the Woods, a screenplay written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard.  Although the storyline has been kept under wraps, The Cabin in the Woods has been described as a “thriller.”  Drew Goddard is slated to make his directorial debut on The Cabin in the Woods with Whedon producing.

Goddard got his start in TV working with Whedon on Buffy the Vampire Slayer where he wrote five episodes and Angel where he turned out an equal number.  Goddard also wrote two stories for the Buffy the Vampire spin-off comic book series Tales of the Vampires for Dark Horse Comics as well as the “Wolves at the Gate” story arc (issues 12-15) of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic book from Dark Horse.

In addition to his work with Whedon, Goddard has also collaborated with J.J. Abrams on Alias (5 episodes) and Lost (9 episodes including two in collaboration with Brian K. Vaughan).  Goddard also wrote the screenplay for the monster movie Cloverfield—let’s just hope he takes his directing cues from Whedon (Serenity) and eschews the headache-inducing shaky camerawork that director Matt Reeves employed in Cloverfield.