BLAIR WITCH Franchise Cashes In on Easy Horror Money with New Movie

Blumhouse Productions and Lionsgate are joining forces to bring audiences a new installment in the Blair Witch franchise, marking the first Blair Witch movie since 2016's sequel. The collaboration indicates a promising future for horror fans, with Blumhouse's proven track record of successful, budget-conscious horror films, like the recent Imaginary, and Lionsgate's expertise in creating engaging, profit-generating cinema. The deal between the two studios also hints at more reimagined horror classics to come. The Blair Witch Project, released in 1999, revolutionized the horror genre with its 'found footage' style and generated massive box office success against a minimal production budget, leading to sequels and even a video game adaptation by Bloober Team in 2019.

Blumhouse's recent merger with James Wan's Atomic Monster has further solidified its position within the horror genre, highlighted by their hit Five Nights at Freddy's film and its upcoming sequel. In addition to horror, Lionsgate is expanding into action with projects like Ballerina, a John Wick spinoff, and a controversial reboot of The Crow, creating a diverse portfolio for the studio.

Fans can expect a fresh take on the Blair Witch lore, backed by Blumhouse's knack for successful, low-budget horror productions and Lionsgate's cinematic prowess. There's also potential for more unexpected twists and collaborations in the future.

Background on The Blair Witch Project:

The Blair Witch Project was a groundbreaking horror film that premiered in 1999 and was directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. Created with a micro-budget and using guerrilla marketing techniques, it told the story of three student filmmakers who disappeared while hiking in the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Maryland, to film a documentary about the local Blair Witch legend. The film's use of 'found footage' presented in a pseudo-documentary format popularized the subgenre and influenced countless films that followed. Its enormous box office success compared to its tiny production budget became a hallmark of indie film profitability, and the film has retained a cult following over the years, leading to sequels and extended media like video games.