It is considered one of the most influential horror films in history and spawned a horde of imitators. We’re talking about the found footage classic Blair Witch Project. In contrast to many other horror series, it did not develop into a functioning franchise like Paranormal Activity or The Conjuring. That should change. The horror company Blumhouse is planning one Reinterpretation of the film from 1999. But there is more to the story than just a desire for a remake.
This is what is known about the new Blair Witch Project film
Plans for a new Blair Witch Project film were announced today at the CinemaCon film convention in Las Vegas. The project is part of a deal between Jason Blum’s production company Blumhouse, which has already given a new coat of paint to Halloween and The Exorcist, and Lionsgate.
There is still no known film team or actors for the witch horror. The Hollywood Reporter’s report only states the following: It’s a “reinterpretation” and it’s just the beginning.
The deal between Blumhouse and Lionsgate includes the remake of “several horror classics” from the Lionsgate catalog.
Jason Blum is “correcting” a mistake he made 25 years ago
The story of a group of students who investigate the legend of a witch in a forest developed into an unprecedented phenomenon in 1999. With a mini-budget, the film grossed almost $250 million. The idea of “found footage” had a defining effect on the horror genre.
But one person had to watch sadly: Jason Blum. The current horror guru worked at Harvey Weinstein’s company Miramax at the time. When the makers of the forest horror were looking for buyers for their low-budget film, Jason Blum declined. Another studio took action and reaped fame and millions. The Blumhouse founder later explained:
I didn’t pick up Blair Witch when I worked at Miramax. I remember it, how I regretted that. And [Harvey] Weinstein never let me forget that.
This wrong decision was one of the reasons why he later grabbed the rights to Paranormal Activity. The success of the Blair Witch heir formed the basis for Blum’s horror empire Blumhouse, which today produces films and television.
So the Blair Witch comes full circle for Jason Blum. Now he just has to do it better than previous attempts Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows (2000) and Blair Witch (2016).
There is no release date for the new Blair Witch film yet.