Our Blair Witch Exclusive Confirmed
Bloody Disgusting confirmed our Blair Witch exclusive report.
Our trusted and proven sources have been proven correct once again, thanks to Bloody Disgusting confirming our exclusive report that Oliver Park is directing a new Blair Witch film. At the moment, it’s only referred to as Untitled Blair Witch Sequel, leaving the door open for it to be a full-on reboot or a follow-up to 2016’s poorly received Blair Witch. Over the past 24 years, only three films in the series have made it to theaters, but the influence of the original 1999 film can not be overstated, making news of a return exciting for horror fans.
The Blair Witch Project was the first “found footage” film to take off in the mainstream. It was backed by a marketing campaign that treated it as a real documentary, fooling millions into thinking the movie’s events really happened. Featuring a cast of unknown actors and relying heavily on internet marketing, it was one of the most profitable films ever made, earning $250 million at the box office against a budget of $750,000.
The following films, Book of Shadows and Blair Witch, failed to capture the public’s imagination, putting pressure on Oliver Park to reach the lofty heights of the original. His filmography matches the aesthetic of the microbudget original, comprised mainly of horror shorts, including the award-winning Vicious. Telling the story of a young woman coming home to an open door, Vicious is 10 minutes of rising tension and terror with a cast of only three actors.
Oliver Park has proven he can make art with a small budget, one location, and a cast that can be counted on one hand, which sounds like the perfect recipe to recapture the magic of The Blair Witch Project. Adding to the throwback appeal of the latest movie, Haxan Films is attached as the production company, notable because that’s the company founded by the franchise’s creators. Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez had very little input on the last two films, but if they are back behind the scenes for the upcoming outing, it only increases the chances that it will be a success.
Exactly how much of the Blair Witch canon will make it to the upcoming film is unknown, but since Book of Shadows decided to be a winking meta-commentary on the original while most of the plot developments have taken place in video games and comic books, starting fresh may appeal to the creative team. Myrick and Sanchez have claimed in past interviews that they had plenty of ideas on where to go, and it seems like the critically acclaimed micro-horror director Oliver Park is the perfect man to bring them to life.
There’s no word on a release date, but the project is looking to start shooting in late summer/early fall. The new Blair Witch may hit theaters as early as 2024, depending on the amount of post-production work. Either way, horror fans are excited for the return to glory of one of Hollywood‘s groundbreaking franchises.
