It is easy for fans of Johnstone`s film to immediately call foul, boo, and there`s no justice like angry mob justice. And that is okay. We are fans of his film, which is excellent. But we are always going to have his original film and can go back to it at any time we wish.
Here is why it is good news that an `Merican studio is remaking Housebound. For Johnstone it means that he is getting some sort of compensation from this deal, as a producer of the remake and if he had anything in his contract about remake rights for the original. There is all sorts of terminology, lingo and coinage that goes into the business of filmmaking that it makes my head dizzy just thinking about it.
But basically it boils down to Johnstone gets money, thus he stay gainfully employed, and can keep on making movies that his fans can enjoy.
That is putting it in its simplest terms and that is why this is a good thing.