Focus has had a big hit today, getting a supernatural horror package The huntera novel by John Langan.
David Lowery, who recently directed the psychological drama Ghost Story Mother Maryamis attached to direct the adaptation and co-write the screenplay with Alex Ross Perry.
The adaptation sees two groups of big horror names collaborating on the project. Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Alex Gino from Platinum Dunes, back banner Quiet place and Cleansing The films are produced in collaboration with New Line’s writer Gary Dauberman He – she and Annabelle Films and Mia Maniscalco, who produce through their company Coin Operated.
Focus declined to comment.
Langman’s novel tells the story of Abby and Dan, two widowers who team up on a fishing trip in upstate New York as a way to cope with their grief. However, one day, Dan suggests that the couple try a new place, an isolated and mysterious place called Dutchman’s Creek, which is whispered to allow anyone to see their loved ones. Even a terrifying tale told by a man in a restaurant detailing the creek’s terrible history can’t stop these two men, who eventually find themselves face to face with Der Fisher, also known as The Fisherman. Maybe they should have stayed home this weekend.
The novel was so well received upon its publication in 2016 that it won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel. Some have described the novel as a mixture of cosmic horror and folk horror.
Lurie’s CV runs the gamut of dramatic genres as the director avoids easy categorization. He wrote and directed the modern western love story Do they not have the bodies of saints?starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, but it also offered a unique fantasy romantic drama Ghost story. He was behind two Disney films in 2016 dragon house And 2023 Peter Pan and Wendybut gained acclaim for its adult-themed medieval fantasy Green Knightreleased in 2021. And he still managed to squeeze in some spin-off work in the Star Wars franchise Skeleton crew Before writing, directing and producing Mother MaryamWhich starred Anne Hathaway and Michael Cowell. He is repped by WME and Frankfurt Cornett.
Platinum Dunes is currently in production A Quiet Place, Part Threewhich has John Krasinski returning as director and writer. Last year the company partnered with AnacondaSony’s reimagining of the horror film Slippery , and Megan Farey’s thriller He falls.
The coin is in post-production La Llorona’s revengea sequel to New Line’s 2019 hit La Llorona trip. Dauberman was also recently hired to write the third installment Five nights at freddy’sBlumhouse features Atomic Monster and is co-writing the credit for the upcoming release Street fight.
