Movies
James Wan Developing Unscripted Reality TV Projects
Fresh off last year’s Malignant, James Wan is currently finishing up sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom for early 2023 release, but he’s also heading into the unscripted arena as well.
THR reports this week that James Wan’s Atomic Monster banner has linked up with Truly Original (“Ink Masters”) for a series of unscripted projects, with several currently in the works.
The Hollywood Reporter details, “The two companies are said to have multiple projects in various stages of development in a number of different unscripted genres.”
The unscripted small screen projects are being developed and produced by Ingrid Bisu (Malignant), Michael Clear, Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, and Chachi Senior.
“I love watching reality TV because, when done right, it can be unfiltered and raw. It’s fascinating to see love, triumph, heartbreak and the entire human experience on display during the most intimate moments in a stranger’s life. It makes one feel less alone when so many of the situations these people find themselves in are extremely relatable. That’s what I want to see more of,” Ingrid Bisu said in a statement. “James and I are so excited to work with the folks at Truly to turn some of our original concepts into series.”
“This is an opportunity to bring a completely fresh creative approach and perspective to unscripted,” said Chachi Senior. “James’ and Atomic Monster’s distinct and ridiculously captivating storytelling abilities, combined with Truly’s deep experience and legacy of creating unscripted hits, provides an exciting foundation for the various series we’re developing together. We’re all looking forward to taking these projects to market, and ultimately, to viewers.”
Will any of these projects be HORROR projects? Here’s hoping…
In the wake of Backrooms and Obsession, everyone is prowling YouTube for horror shorts to adapt and horror filmmakers to scoop up, so don’t be surprised to see a whole bunch of upcoming articles about YouTube success stories crossing over into theaters. One horror short that’s already been picked up for expansion is Dolly director Rod Blackhurst’s Alone Time.
The 12-minute short was uploaded in 2014 and has amassed nearly 2 million views at the time of this article being written, and Deadline reports that it’s getting a feature adaptation.
Witchcraft Motion Picture Company & Fever Dream will turn the viral short into a feature film.
Alone Time follows Ann Saunders, a young NY professional whose carefully constructed life begins to unravel following a devastating personal loss. “Seeking refuge from a collapsing relationship, a deteriorating family situation, and mounting emotional trauma, Ann reluctantly joins her closest friend on a remote camping trip deep in the Adirondack wilderness.”
The synopsis continues, “When her friend mysteriously disappears, Ann becomes convinced that an unseen figure is stalking her through the forest. What begins as a survival nightmare slowly transforms into something far more disturbing as fractured memories, conflicting realities, and hidden truths force Ann to confront the possibility that the greatest threat may not be lurking in the woods at all, but buried deep within her own psych.”
“Alone Time has quietly followed me for over a decade,” director Rod Blackhurst said in a statement. “What began as a short film about isolation and the weight of life now feels more relevant than ever. The original short found its audience organically online long before that was considered a legitimate path for filmmakers. Bringing it to life as a feature allows us to explore those themes on a much larger and more psychologically unsettling canvas.”
Blackhurst is directing the feature length expansion.
You can watch the original Alone Time short film below.