Movies
Watch The New BLAIR WITCH Trailer; Plus Latest Poster
In theaters September 16 is the upcoming BLAIR WITCH. Lionsgate originally promoted it as THE WOODS when in reality it is a sequel to BLAIR WITCH.
The film is helmed by director Adam Wingard (YOU’RE NEXT, THE GUEST, V/H/S, V/H/S/2), who has assembled an accomplished behind-the-scenes team that includes screenwriter and longtime collaborator Simon Barrett (YOU’RE NEXT, THE GUEST, V/H/S, V/H/S/2); producers Roy Lee (THE RING, THE STRANGERS, THE GRUDGE), Steven Schneider (PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, INSIDIOUS), Keith Calder, p.g.a. (YOU’RE NEXT, THE GUEST, ANOMALISA), and Jess Calder, p.g.a. (YOU’RE NEXT, THE GUEST, THE DEVIL’S CANDY), ; and executive producers Jenny Hinkey, Daniel Myrick (director/writer, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT), Eduardo Sanchez (director/writer, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT) and Gregg Hale (producer, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT).
For several years, Lionsgate had been searching for the right concept to reboot Blair Witch, as well as filmmakers who could satisfy the fans of the first film and reach a new generation of moviegoers. Following the success of V/H/S and the company’s acquisition of Wingard and Barrett’s independent horror movie YOU’RE NEXT, Lionsgate set up a secret meeting with the duo to pitch the sequel.
“It was kind of like giving your daughter away in marriage — pretty touchy subject but we couldn’t have asked for better sons-in-law,” says Eduardo Sanchez (director/writer, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT). “The movie takes our original film and turns it up to 11. Seriously, it’s a nightmare funhouse of a film that pulls you in and never lets you go.”
Watch the new trailer now.
It’s been 20 years since James’s sister and her two friends vanished into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland while researching the legend of the Blair Witch, leaving a trail of theories and suspicions in their wake.
James (James Allen McCune of TV’s SHAMELESS) and his friends Peter (WRECK-IT RALPH’S Brandon Scott), Ashley (Corbin Reid of TV’s DISNEY STAR DARLINGS) and film student Lisa (Callie Hernandez of upcoming LA LA LAND and Ridley Scott’s upcoming ALIEN: COVENANT) venture into the same woods each with a camera to uncover the mysteries surrounding their disappearance.
At first the group is hopeful, especially when a pair of locals Lane (Wes Robinson of TV’s STATE OF AFFAIRS) and Talia (Valorie Curry of TV’s THE FOLLOWING) offer to act as guides through the dark and winding woods. But as the endless night wears on, the group is visited by a menacing presence.
Slowly, they begin to realize the legend is all too real and more sinister than they could have imagined.
Valorie Curry stars as ‘Tamara’ in BLAIR WITCH. Photo Credit: Chris Helcermanas-Benge
Since surprise was part of The Blair Witch Project’s legacy, the filmmakers wanted to keep the sequel under wraps.
“A huge part of the first movie was the surprise of those initial screenings when people weren’t sure if it was real or not,” says Keith Calder. “We hope to capture that same excitement by making the film in secret and not telling audiences it exists until the film’s about to come out.” “Keeping this a secret in the era of oversharing and excessive marketing on social media, especially of horror films, felt new and original for the time,” says Barrett.
Keeping such a secret proved an enormous logistical challenge.
“I created versions of the script that were widely different,” says Barrett. “The cast auditioned with fake pages, and the actors didn’t know what movie they agreed to be in until their deals were finalized.”
Different versions of the script also circulated on set. “The art department would be making a sign, and it would be wrong because they were going off the wrong script,” says Barrett.
Now the filmmakers must get accustomed to saying “Blair Witch” out loud. “I’ve been so conditioned never to say those words — even on set we called it ‘B-dubs,’” says Barrett. “We’re so happy we can finally talk about it.”
Visit the official site: www.blairwitch.movie
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