Lionsgate‘s forthcoming reimagining of The Blair Witch Project is conjuring up its previous creative voices.
Dylan Clark is set to helm a new take on the horror property from a script by Chris Thomas Devlin that the director is rewriting. Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams, who starred in the original 1999 found-footage hit, are set to serve as executive producers, as are the first movie’s directing team of Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick and Gregg Hale.
In 2024, Lionsgate and Blumhouse announced at CinemaCon that a new feature version of The Blair Witch Project was in the works through the companies’ multi-film deal that sees Blumhouse reimagine Lionsgate’s horror classics. While speaking at CinemaCon, Lionsgate film boss Adam Fogelson teased “a new vision forBlair Witchthat will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation.”
Shortly after the CinemaCon presentation, Leonard — who starred with Williams and Heather Donahue in the original — took to Instagram to express his frustration over his film’s team not being involved in the new movie. Additionally, no one from the first feature worked in any significant way on the 2000 sequel,Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, or the 2016 follow-up.
Leonard wrote that there had been “25 years of disrespect from the folks who’ve pocketed the lion’s share (pun intended) of the profits from OUR work, and that feels both icky and classless.”
Ben Rock, who served as the 1999 movie’s production designer, told THR at the time that he was unhappy about the lack of involvement for the original’s team: “Neither one of the sequels connected with audiences the way they wanted it to connect. And so it might at least be worth talking to some of the original creators.”
This new development signals unity between the original team and the updated vision, bringing together the full mythology and legacy of the property for the present generation.
The Blair Witch Projectwas made for a paltry $35,000 (before marketing costs) and became an instant sensation when it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1999. Artisan Entertainment bought the indie film and released it theatrically that June, with the story centering on three film students who disappear in the woods after setting out to shoot a documentary about the Blair Witch. Collecting $248 million at the global box office ($492 million today), it was a summer phenomenon and one of the year’s 10 highest-grossing titles, not to mention one of the most profitable movies ever made.
Atomic Monster‘s James Wan and Blumhouse’s Jason Blum will serve as the reboot‘s producers alongside Roy Lee. Also producing are Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath for Divide/Conquer. Executive producing are Michael Clear and Judson Scott for Atomic Monster, with Alayna Glasthal overseeing for the company. Scott O’Brien and Pavan Kalidindi are overseeing the film for Lionsgate, while Phil Strina negotiated the deal on behalf of the studio. Steven Schneider executive produces.
Clark is attached to direct Universal’s feature adaptation of his horror short Portrait of God, with Sam Raimi and Jordan Peele set as producers. Clark is represented by 3 Arts, UTA and Ginsburg Daniels.