Just when the found footage cinematic trend seemed to have run its course, Lionsgate dropped a bombshell at CinemaCon 2024. They announced a surprising collaboration with Blumhouse for a new production of The Blair Witch Project, sparking intrigue among industry professionals.

CinemaCon audiences first received the surprise announcement, and horror fans will be delighted to learn the franchise is back from the dead. Adam Fogelson, chairman of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, and Jason Blum, founder and CEO of Blumhouse, made the announcement on stage.

The last film was Blair Witch,from the horror specialists of director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett, who both recently moved on to the Godzilla and King Kong Monsterverse.

Although the current plot is unknown, do expect the footage to be at the forefront of filmmaking.

“I have been incredibly fortunate to work with Jason many times over the years. We forged a strong relationship on The Purge when I was at Universal, and we launched STX with his film The Gift. There is no one better at this genre than the team at Blumhouse,” stated Fogelson. “We are thrilled to kick this partnership off with a new vision for Blair Witch that will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation. We couldn’t be more pleased working with them on this and other projects we look forward to revealing soon.”

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The original The Blair Witch Project was launched in 1999 and put found-footage films at the forefront of cinema. It was written, directed, and edited by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez. At the time, clever marketing with the found footage labeled the actors as “missing” and “deceased,” creating a buzz about whether the film was real or fictional.

The original film grossed $250 million worldwide and spawned two sequels, Book of Shadows and Blair Witch.

“I am very grateful to Adam and the team at Lionsgate for letting us play in their sandbox. 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,” said Blum. 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.”

No release date has been announced at this time.

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Source: Lionsgate