The Blair Witch Project returns: Lionsgate locks in 2027 reboot

Yes, they really are dusting off The Blair Witch Project again. Nearly 30 years after that infamous found-footage classic convinced gullible viewers it was 'real', Hollywood is having another go – and this time, there are a few twists behind the camera and, frankly, an awful lot riding on a director making his feature debut.

Blumhouse x Blair Witch – and a Director You Probably Don’t Know

Here’s where it lands: Blumhouse Productions (yes, the modern horror conveyor belt responsible for everything from Get Out to The Purge) is taking the reins, with Lionsgate on board and an official UK release date locked in for 24 September 2027. So, four years and change for you to brace. The director steering this thing? Dylan Clark – not related to the other, much more famous Dylan Clark who has his mitts all over Planet of the Apes and The Batman. This Dylan Clark hasn’t actually directed a feature film before.

For context, the closest he’s come is with the short film Portrait of God. Apparently, he’s now making Portrait of God (the feature) for Universal, with no less than Sam Raimi and Jordan Peele producing. Quite a welcome for your debut, if you ask me. That one’s about a religious woman discovering what God actually looks like, which sounds like it’ll be a healthy distance from running about in Maryland woods with a shaky cam.

Big Names, Old Faces

The new Blair Witch is also keeping at least one toe in the original’s murky creek. Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams, two of the terrified trio from the 1999 original, have signed on as executive producers. Also, the original filmmakers are attached: Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick, and Gregg Hale will be in the exec producer chairs, with the stated goal of 'bringing the full mythology and legacy of the franchise to a new generation of storytelling'. No comment on whether there’ll be excessive snot crying.

Who’s Actually Pulling the Strings?

• Producers: James Wan (Atomic Monster), Jason Blum (Blumhouse), and Roy Lee (who produced the 2016 Blair Witch sequel/spin-off).
• Additional producers: Adam Hendricks & Greg Gilreath (Divide/Conquer).
• Script: Chris Devlin wrote the first pass, now Dylan Clark is rewriting.
• Steven Schneider (EP), Michael Clear & Judson Scott (Atomic Monster EPs), Alayna Glasthal (overseeing at Atomic Monster), Scott O'Brien & Pavan Kalidindi overseeing for Lionsgate.
• The new Blair Witch is the first in a multi-picture deal, allowing Blumhouse to have a go at reworking other horror IP controlled by Lionsgate.

So What’s Actually New?

Specifics about the plot? They’re keeping schtum for now – no surprised campers, ancient curses or ruined stick figures out in the wild just yet, at least on the record.

What has come out is a little off-screen drama finally resolved. Way back when, the original Blair Witch trio (Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams) kicked up a fuss about the staggering lack of residuals after the first film raked in millions. (The whole thing was made for about the price of a second-hand BMW.) Their demand: comparable royalties to what they’d have got with union protection, plus some creative input.

Apparently, that’s now sorted – or at least for two of the team. Williams confirmed online a few months ago he was now at peace with Blumhouse and Lionsgate, and both he and Leonard are on board as exec producers for the reboot. Donahue, for her part, is not involved.

A 2027 Release (and Franchise Hopes)

Mark it down: The Blair Witch Project reboot hits cinemas on 24 September 2027, in what’s shaping up to be a pretty crowded year for classic horror relaunches – yes, even Paranormal Activity is set for a comeback.