Editorial Staff
Just a year short of Lionsgate surprising unsuspecting “Blair Witch Project” fans with an unforeseen and ultimately little-seen sequel (“Blair Witch”), the studio is pulling out the stick combos and tents for another go-round back in the deep woods. Only this time, the Blair Witch will be skipping the big screen for a smaller one.
According to Deadline, Lionsgate’s TV department are developing a series based on the indie film sensation – it’s sequel and the recent reboot – to air digitally as part of the StudioL line-up.
“Blair Witch” co-creator Eduardo Sanchez hinted at the series in an interview last year, saying he couldn’t “really discuss” anything but “For us, it’s a very natural thing to go and say “Hey, let’s do a frickin’ Blair Witch show and you can say it’s from the original creators and we can bring in a whole bunch of interesting directors to direct episodes”.
“I think that the idea of a Blair Witch anthology has always been very – just a really interesting thing”, Sanchez continued. “I think it might be one of those things that might be – you know? The more you think about it, you’re like “That might be the perfect… a TV show. You know?” So, we’ll see what happens, but I think that’s the next big thing for Blair Witch. Probably TV.”
Last year’s “Blair Witch” snared reasonably good reviews, though even the more positive among them couldn’t help but mention the film’s all-too-safe screenplay.
As we wrote in our review, ““Blair Witch” plays out more like a retread than sequel, hardly advancing the franchise to greater heights by refusing to stray too far from the original stencil of Dan Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez’s smash indie original. With the same beats, structure and even third act in tow, “Blair Witch” is a rather predictable affair.”
But, it was also a lot of fun. “Like JJ Abrams’ “Star Wars” sequel, the familiar script is the only downfall of “Blair Witch” – and the rest, from the superb production design, spot-on casting, effects and, in this case, brutal scares (!) are eye-poppingly, ear-piercingly brilliant. This one’s ‘Chewie, we’re home’ moment comes right at the tail end of the film, but everything up to that is exceedingly entertaining and technically perfect.”
Here’s hoping the “Blair Witch” series retains the creep factor but skips on the recap.
Among the other projects on the Studio L slate, a TV series remake of the Ryan Reynolds comedy “Waiting”.
