There is no such thing as too new a concept in Hollywood. The industry could never have enough new ideas. That is the one currency that is always sought after. But what about bringing back an idea from the past? An idea that was a hit back in the day but has since been banished from pop culture. Lionsgate and Blumhouse are doing exactly that, with the announcement that they are all set to bring back The Blair Witch Project, a path-breaking movie back in its day.
Lionsgate and Blumhouse are joining hands to bring back an iconic horror footage movie
Lionsgate has already dished out a horror movie that has turned everyone’s eyes this year with Imaginary. The Tom Payne starrer might not be the best of films when it comes to winning the critics over. But it is an entirely different story when you talk about the money.
In sharp contrast to its dismal IMDb rating of 4.7, its numbers at the box office are something to really write home about. That is to be expected when a movie made with around $10 million goes on to bag a whopping $38 million. And it is this success that has emboldened Lionsgate to bring back The Blair Witch Project, a cult classic.
The Witch is back in town
To the unversed, The Blair Witch Project is a 1994 film, revolving around three college students and their (mis)adventure. The students take a trip into the Maryland forest to shoot a documentary about the Blair Witch, a common myth in the area. The three would mysteriously vanish. A year down the lane, something related to them would be found – the footage of their adventures.
This is The Blair Witch Project.
The flick was a pathbreaker at the time. It made the footage genre of horror a thing. Some consider that it even served as the inspiration for the fabled Paranormal Activity series. And it is all set to return as a result of the multi-picture pact between Lionsgate and Blumhouse.
The movie was officially announced at this year’s CinemaCon in Las Vegas, held last Wednesday. Lionsgate chair Adam Fogelson and Blumhouse founder/CEO Jason Blum were the people who formalized the arrangement and brought the news out before the world. Blum would even go on to say,
“I’m very grateful to Adam and the team at Lionsgate for letting us play in their sandbox.” (Bounding Into Comics)
Looks like we have a partnership to behold at our hands.
Elizabeth Olsen might be the perfect star for The Blair Witch Project
He continued,
“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.”
Not much has been confirmed about the film, including its cast. But there might be one Marvel star who’d be perfect for the role of the lead.
Keeping in mind the original, Elizabeth Olsen would have been the perfect star to take things forward. Only time will tell whether Scarlet ‘Witch’ bags the role or not. But if she does, the studios might have taken one step forward in bringing the old magic back.
