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11th April 2024
01:27pm BST
If you're belonging to a certain generation, you'll know the sheer horror experienced the first time watching The Blair Witch Project.
The good news is that a whole new generation of cinema-goers will now be able to experience the spine-tingling story that some label the scariest movie ever made, as horror movie master Jason Blum announced that he will be reviving the film series.
Announced at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this week, the reboot will be the first in a multi-picture agreement with Blum's company Blumhouse reimagining horror classics for Lionsgate.
The low-budget horror was originally released in 1999 and was filmed entirely with "found footage", which sparked a revival of the horror subgenre featuring the likes of Cloverfield, REC and Creep.
It also influenced one of the biggest horror franchises ever made - Paranormal Activity - which fittingly was produced by Blumhouse.
While details haven't been revealed on the plot of the upcoming film, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said it will be a “new vision for Blair Witch that will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation".
He continued, “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. There is no one better at this genre than the team at Blumhouse.
"We couldn’t be more pleased to be working with them on this and other projects we look forward to revealing soon."
The original film sparked a huge cult following after rumours spread of it being allegedly based on a true story.
It follows a group of three student filmmakers who disappear while making a film about the legend of Blair Witch in the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland.
Horror maestro Jason Blum is reviving “The Blair Witch Project” for Lionsgate.
— Variety (@Variety) April 10, 2024
Details here: https://t.co/IJZtSvJquM pic.twitter.com/RZb5VLHg4v
With a miniscule budget of around $60,000, the film grossed a whopper $248 million and spawned two sequels.
Blum himself commented on the announcement, saying, “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."
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