PR in the Philippines

(SeaPRwire) –   The original Blair Witch Project is a unique cinematic event that is nearly impossible to recreate. This is largely due to the era of its release; in today’s age of social media and rapid fact-checking, the idea that audiences would mistake a fictional horror movie for a real documentary—as many did during its 1999 debut—is unthinkable. Back then, limited internet access allowed for much tighter control over a film’s marketing, particularly for an unexpected independent hit like Blair Witch.

It is also easy to overlook that The Blair Witch Project pioneered the “shaky cam” aesthetic that has since become a staple of the found footage genre—in fact, it practically invented it. Because it is such a foundational film, any new version requires a unique perspective. Adam Wingard, director of Godzilla Vs. Kong, attempted a reboot in 2016 by updating the original premise with modern technology, but the film failed to make an impact, leading to this latest attempt.

A collaboration between Blumhouse and Lionsgate, the upcoming Blair Witch remake was announced at CinemaCon 2024 as part of a deal to “reimagine” several of Lionsgate’s horror franchises. The announcement initially caused controversy when the original stars—Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams—revealed to Variety that they had not been informed or consulted. The trio subsequently issued an open letter to the studio requesting “meaningful consultation” on future projects and the residuals they were famously denied from the original film’s massive profits.

The dispute appears to have been at least partially settled, as The Hollywood Reporter recently noted that Leonard and Williams have joined the new project as executive producers. They are joined by the original creative team of Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick, and Gregg Hale. Notably absent from this reunion is Donahue, who was also a signatory on the letter to Lionsgate.

Donahue retired from acting in 2008 and now goes by the name Rei Hance, though she has recently appeared at fan conventions under her birth name. She previously gave her blessing to the 2016 reboot, indicating she hasn’t completely distanced herself from the franchise. Given that she did not receive a share of the original’s massive earnings and faced a level of public scrutiny her male co-stars did not, it would be unfortunate if she is not included in some form of redress—unless a private agreement has already been reached.

Specific details regarding the direction of the new Blair Witch Project remain scarce. The film will be the feature debut of 22-year-old director Dylan Clark, who rose to prominence on YouTube alongside other young filmmakers like Curry Barker and Kane Parsons. Clark is currently developing feature-length versions of two of his shorts, including Portrait of God, which has garnered over 9 million views on the platform.

Clark is a longtime fan of the series, telling Little Black Book in 2024 that his first filmmaking experience was a “scrappy” Blair Witch-style short made in the woods as a child. That same passion helped make the 1999 original a phenomenon, and Clark will look to capture that spirit again when production begins this fall.