Lionsgate is teaming up with Blumhouse to breathe new life into the studio’s horror franchise titles, starting with The Blair Witch Project.
It’s been eight years since Lionsgate released The Blair Witch, the studio’s wobbly attempt to revive the would-be horror franchise. You can’t really blame them for trying: Released in 1999, The Blair Witch Project is still one of the most successful (and terrifying) horror movies of all time, grossing almost $250 million on a $35k budget. Directed by Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick, the film follows three student filmmakers who travel to Burkittsville, Maryland to investigate an eerie urban legend. The Blair Witch Project kicked off a wave of found footage horror and inspired exactly one (1) sequel—Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, a meta-sequel that was arguably ahead of its time.
During a presentation at CinemaCon (via Variety), Lionsgate exec Adam Fogelson announced a multi-film deal with Blumhouse Productions that will give the latter access to Lionsgate’s horror movie catalog, starting with The Blair Witch Project. The new film will be produced by Roy Lee, whose credits include 2016’s The Blair Witch as well as It and It: Chapter Two.
Blum is no stranger to horror franchises, of course, but his career has come a long way from the found footage series that put him on the map. “I don’t think there would have been a Paranormal Activity had there not first been a Blair Witch,” Blum said at CinemaCon, “So this feels like a truly special opportunity and I’m excited to see where it leads.”
(featured image: Artisan)
