George A. Romero has signed to write and direct the thriller "Solitary Isle" for Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures.

The film, based on a short story by Koji Suzuki ("The Ring," "Dark Water"), marks the first project in a 50-50 joint venture between Hyde Park and Kadokawa in which they will co-finance horror-thriller films in the under-$25 million range. "Solitary" likely will be distributed by 20th Century Fox, where Hyde Park has its first-look deal. Hyde Park International will handle foreign.

The story chronicles an expedition to a deserted island that turns deadly as the explorers face an unknown force.

Amritraj is producing alongside Kadokawa's Jennie Lew Tugend, Lauren Weissman and Shinya Egawa. Romero's partner Peter Grunwald also is producing. Patrick Aiello is shepherding the project for Hyde Park.

Los Angeles-based Kadokawa Pictures is a sister company of Japan's Kadokawa Shoten Publishing, which boasts a vast library of film-friendly horror novels and short stories, including "The Ring," "Dark Water" and "Solitary Isle." The production division is producing and financing the Edward Burns-Shannyn Sossamon starrer "One Missed Call," a remake of the 2003 Japanese film.

"Part of Hyde Park's strategy is to partner with major conglomerates, and I am happy to be in business with Kadokawa," Amritraj said. "We hope this will be the first of many movies we'll make together."

Hyde Park signed a five-year, first-look production and distribution deal with Fox in July 2005.

Horrormeister Romero, whose credits include the seminal zombie thrillers "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead," most recently wrote and helmed last year's "Land of the Dead."

He is repped by the Gersh Agency.