Movies
Lionsgate’s ‘Jessabelle’ Haunts Two
Back in January we exclusively broke the news on a new project out of Blumhouse (The Lords of Salem, Insidious, Paranormal Activity) that’s set up over at Lionsgate entitled Jessabelle. We revealed that Saw VI and Saw 3D director Kevin Greutert is attached to direct the supernatural tale that was penned by Robert Ben Garant, known from TV’s “Reno 911!”.
Variety reports today that Aussie thesp Sarah Snook (pictured below) and indie stalwart Mark Webber (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) are set to star with lensing to begin April 2. Snook will play the terrified protag, while Webber will play her childhood friend who helps her uncover the truth about her family.
The project is “about a girl who is forced to return to her father’s home in Louisiana when a car accident leaves her without the use of both her legs. What she finds there is a mystery surrounding her own birth and an angry ghost (named Jessabelle) that seems determined to destroy her.“
Hollywood is serious about landing the next Backrooms. Hot on the heels of a Siren Head feature announcement, Deadline reports that a new movie based on viral YouTube series The Mandela Catalogue is in development.
It also has some Hollywood heavy hitters behind it.
Amblin Entertainment’s Steven Spielberg, United Artists’ Scott Stuber (Frankenstein), and Amazon MGM Studios are set to produce, emerging victorious after a highly competitive 11-studio bidding war.
Launched in 2021, the YouTube series is set in the fictional Mandela County, Wisconsin which is “invaded by shape-shifting, nearly immortal creatures called Alternates. The Alternates are led by a false depiction of the Archangel Gabriel and their aim is to wipe out the human race by psychologically torturing them to the point of suicide. The Alternates are known for manipulating AV media, TVs, computers and GPS systems.”
The movie will be directed by the series’ creator, Alex Kister, based on a screenplay he adapted with Tyler Clifton.
The Mandela Catalogue has racked up an impressive 100 million views across its official episodes alone, solidifying it as one of the largest original analog horror franchises on YouTube.
Spielberg and Holly Bario are producing for Amblin Entertainment alongside Aaron B. Koontz for Paper Street Pictures and Stuber and Nick Nesbitt for United Artists. Kister and Clifton are also producing. Annie McCreery will oversee the project for United Artists. Maria Fortese will oversee for Amblin.
Get acquainted with The Mangela Catalogue below while we wait to learn more.