According to the Hollywood Reporter, Daniel Myrick, writer and co-director of The Blair Witch Project, will write and direct his latest project, Under the Bed, for Radar Pictures. In yet another tale supposedly inspired by actual events, a stalker will hide under the bed of his female target as he manipulates her life while keeping his presence a secret.
While 1999’s The Blair Witch Project was not the first of the so-called “found footage” horror stories, it certainly helped popularize a sub-genre that now includes J.J. Abrams’ Cloverfield and the Paranormal Activity franchise, the series that dethroned Saw as the horror staple of October. Myrick continued to direct horror and thriller movies since Blair Witch but has yet to even come close to repeating his previous level of success. While using an ‘inspired by actual events’ premise may seem like a desperate attempt to remind audiences of The Blair Witch Project, returning to the tropes that brought him his first success could lead to a second creative wind for Myrick.
Radar Pictures certainly seems enthusiastic about Under the Bed as it intends to begin casting immediately. Radar is certainly no stranger to passion projects as the studio recently produced Vin Diesel’s Riddick, the revival of a franchise Diesel has always been quite fond of. Similarly, Spring Breakers, Radar’s other major 2013 release, demonstrated a commitment to project that many could easily have scoffed at with its cast of ex-Disney starlets thrust into more explicit roles. With a solid story premise and Radar’s support, the stage seems set for Myrick to make his comeback to horror.
Ted Field and Mike Weber will produce.
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