Hit US film The Blair Witch Project is set for a major comeback.
A reboot of the iconic 1999 film which saw a group of teens being spooked out in the woods is in the works, from the makers of M3GAN and The Purge producer – 25 years after the original horror flick hit the screens. Jason Blum, from the renowned horror production studio Blumhouse, is set to breathe new life into the franchise to hopefully entice a “new generation” of moviegoers.
This follows the global success of Blumhouse films including M3GAN and The Purge. The production house also found success with the film, Five Nights at Freddy’s.
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While plot details remain under wraps, Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, announced at CinemaCon in Las Vegas that the film represents a “new vision for Blair Witch that will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation”, according to Variety. Blum also expressed his gratitude for the film being made.
(Image: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)
He said: “I’m very grateful to Adam and the team at Lionsgate for letting us play in their sandbox. I’m a huge admirer of The Blair Witch Project, which brought the idea of found footage horror to mainstream audiences and became a true cultural phenomenon.
“I don’t think there would have been a Paranormal Activity had there not first been a Blair Witch, so this feels like a truly special opportunity and I’m excited to see where it leads.”
Fogelson chimed in, adding: “I have been incredibly fortunate to work with Jason many times over the years. We forged a strong relationship on The Purge when I was at Universal, and we launched STX with his film The Gift.”
(Image: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)
The Blair Witch Project reboot will be the first in a multi-picture agreement with Blumhouse reimagining horror classics for Lionsgate. Blumhouse and Lionsgate have recently collaborated on new thriller Imaginary which was released last month.
The Blair Witch Project redefined horror movies when it became a huge, unexpected hit upon its release at the time. The film follows the disappearance of three student filmmakers in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary on the local legend known as the Blair Witch.
It starred Heather Donahue, Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard playing fictionalised versions of themselves. Made on a tiny budget of $60,000 (£47,928), it became one of the most successful independent movies of all time after raking in $248.6million (£198million) at the box office.
(Image: Haxan Films)
A pioneering promotional campaign saw it become the first widely released movie marketed primarily by the internet. With the film’s website boasting fake police reports and newsreel-style interviews.
It was followed by Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 in 2000 which received negative reviews from critics and grossed a worldwide total of $47.7m. In 2016 Blair Witch was released which follows John, the brother of Heather Donahue. It was the third film from the series.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
