Christian retailers have some thinking to do ahead of next month's arrival of the DVD of House, the movie version of the novel by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti.

I'm not referring to the decision about whether or not to carry the R-rated film--though the restricted viewing category is likely to make some stores cautious about taking it in.

Those that do will still have to decide how best to promote and cross-merchandise the film and the 2006 Thomas Nelson book.

That's because the DVD arrives jacketed with the brooding exterior of a darkened house-a haunted house motif very similar to the original novel's look.

However when the film was released in theaters last fall, it was promoted with a poster featuring a pentagram-a design carried on the tie-in editions Nelson released at the same time.

It's enough to give a retailer nightmares.