The Blair Witch is coming back and she’s bringing along a thimble. At CinemaCon 2024, Lionsgate broke some major news about its upcoming franchise films. The biggest reveals were that it will be teaming with Blumhouse to bring back The Blair Witch Project—and that Margot Robbie’s company, LuckyChap, is working with the studio to finally make a movie based on Monopoly.
Beyond that? There are not many details. The Blair Witch film was described as “a new vision … that will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation.” And there will be more coming down the line in this vein; according to a Lionsgate press release, “Lionsgate and Blumhouse today announced that they will partner on the development and production of a new The Blair Witch Project as the first film in a multi-picture pact with Blumhouse reimagining horror classics from the Lionsgate library.” So far, no other titles have been announced, but look for more on that “soon,” according to Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson.
For Monopoly, the take has a “clear point of view,” according to Fogelson. However, that was it—no further insight into what that point of view might be.
The announcement comes off the company also confirming work is underway on the Highlander franchise, starring Henry Cavill; Naruto, by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton; and Now You See Me 3 from Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland). The huge franchise potential beyond just the initial installments was the key here, including the news that Now You See Me will have both new and returning cast members from the heist series.
Cavill was in attendance to talk about his two upcoming Guy Ritchie films, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and In the Grey, but also commented on Highlander. He admitted that when he first read the script, he wasn’t sure how it was going to evolve the franchise but was quickly wowed. “My goodness me,” he said. “What we are doing—the original movies just touched on the lore. We are going deep into the meaning of these characters.” He also said the sword work in this is beyond anything he’s done before.
So, big things coming from Lionsgate. When we hear more about Blair Witch or Monopoly, we’ll let you know.