The original ‘Blair Witch Project’ cast say they each got a fruit basket to commemorate the film earning $100 million at the domestic box office.Joshua Leonard, 48, one of the three actors who starred in the 1999 found-footage horror phenomenon – which made almost $250 million at the global box office on a budget of around $200,000 to $750,000 – recently hit out over their lack of residual payments for the movie in an open letter signed by himself and his former ‘Bwp’ co-stars Rei Hance (also known as Heather Donahue) and Michael Williams to Facebook on 21 April.In a new interview with Variety, the trio of stars have now said Artisan Entertainment, which acquired writer-directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez’s film after its Sundance Film Festival premiere for $1.1 million, sent each of them a fruit basket to commemorate the film earning $100 million at the domestic box office.Rei, 49, said: “That was when it became clear that,...
- 6/15/2024
- by BANG Showbiz Reporter
- Bang Showbiz
The stars of the cult classic The Blair Witch Project, Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams, have been vocal about their ongoing financial struggles despite the monumental success of the film. Although the movie grossed nearly $250 million worldwide, the trio has scarcely seen any of that financial success. Financial Strains Despite a Box Office Hit Since the1999 release of The Blair Witch Project, none of the actors have benefitted substantially from its immense commercial success. Leonard said, My agent asked me what the f**k I was doing, adding, I said, You know that I haven’t made any...
- 6/15/2024
- by Steve Delickson
- TVovermind.com
The Blair Witch Project would have broke the internet when it came out, if there was internet back then. The independent horror film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and then began raking in profits in the theaters. Plus, there were VHS sales and all that creepy Blair Witch merch, and then multiple spinoffs and sequels. Ironically, the crew that played dead after the release to ensure the movies’ success, barely saw a dime of those proceeds.
The Blair Witch actors have been embroiled in legal battles with Artisan for off and on for decades. The actors did get paid, but it was literally crumbs compared to what millions of dollars that the film made due to contracts they signed at the beginning of production.
What Happened To The Blair Witch Stars
It’s hard to believe there’s anyone out there who hasn’t seen Blair With Project. But,...
The Blair Witch actors have been embroiled in legal battles with Artisan for off and on for decades. The actors did get paid, but it was literally crumbs compared to what millions of dollars that the film made due to contracts they signed at the beginning of production.
What Happened To The Blair Witch Stars
It’s hard to believe there’s anyone out there who hasn’t seen Blair With Project. But,...
- 6/14/2024
- by Amanda Austin
- Celebrating The Soaps
The Blair Witch Project trio condemns Lionsgate's 'reprehensible' treatment: 'We were being cut out'
Let’s take a ride in the way-back machine and step out in 1999, when a little independent film called The Blair Witch Project became an iconic film. We won’t argue about whether or not it was the first found footage film, instead stating the indisputable fact that it was the most successful one (not to mention one of the most profitable independent films) of all time.
At the heart of The Blair Witch Project were three unknown actors: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams. It was each of their first films, and none of them expected it to become a massive hit.
The production was unique in that the actors were encouraged to improvise most of their dialogue. There was a screenplay, but it mostly contained the events that were to take place, and there were times when only one of the actors knew what was going to happen next.
At the heart of The Blair Witch Project were three unknown actors: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams. It was each of their first films, and none of them expected it to become a massive hit.
The production was unique in that the actors were encouraged to improvise most of their dialogue. There was a screenplay, but it mostly contained the events that were to take place, and there were times when only one of the actors knew what was going to happen next.
- 6/13/2024
- by Carla Davis
- 1428 Elm
For the trio of actors who almost singlehandedly turned "The Blair Witch Project" into a cultural phenomenon and one of the most terrifying horror films of the last quarter century, what should've been the dream roles of a lifetime have instead turned into a living nightmare.
In the late 1990s, young and up-and-coming performers Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard found themselves joining an extremely low-budget indie production that was then titled "The Black Hills Project." The concept was simple: The three leads would be filming approximately 10 minutes of footage as part of a fictional horror documentary, playing the part of student filmmakers searching for evidence of a local legend known as the Blair Witch, and who vanished without a trace in the Maryland woods. Not only were the three required to sign off on clauses that would allow filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez to use their...
In the late 1990s, young and up-and-coming performers Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard found themselves joining an extremely low-budget indie production that was then titled "The Black Hills Project." The concept was simple: The three leads would be filming approximately 10 minutes of footage as part of a fictional horror documentary, playing the part of student filmmakers searching for evidence of a local legend known as the Blair Witch, and who vanished without a trace in the Maryland woods. Not only were the three required to sign off on clauses that would allow filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez to use their...
- 6/13/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
The Blair Witch Project cast came out against Lionsgate after the announcement of a new reboot at CinemaCon this year. The year also marks the 25th anniversary of the project, and the cast now goes into detail about how they struggled after their massively successful independent film. Haxan Films hired Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard for different roles in 1997.
A still from The Blair Witch Project (1999) | Lionsgate
The three actors were intimately involved in the film, even learning to operate the camera and the sound recording equipment. Their real names were used in the film, which was not something they agreed to. When the film became a sensation at the Sundance Film Festival, Artisan Entertainment bought the film for $1.1 million.
The Blair Witch Project Cast Struggled Due to The Secrecy of Their Role A still from The Blair Witch Project (1999) | Lionsgate
Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the directors of the film,...
A still from The Blair Witch Project (1999) | Lionsgate
The three actors were intimately involved in the film, even learning to operate the camera and the sound recording equipment. Their real names were used in the film, which was not something they agreed to. When the film became a sensation at the Sundance Film Festival, Artisan Entertainment bought the film for $1.1 million.
The Blair Witch Project Cast Struggled Due to The Secrecy of Their Role A still from The Blair Witch Project (1999) | Lionsgate
Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the directors of the film,...
- 6/13/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Back in April, it was announced that Lionsgate and Blumhouse Productions have made a multi-picture pact that will see Blumhouse reimagining horror classics from the Lionsgate library – and the development and production of a new The Blair Witch Project is the first project on that slate. That announcement has inspired the stars of the original film – Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams – to start speaking up about the fact that they have never been properly financially compensated for the roles they played into turning the original film into a massive hit that spawned a franchise.
Made on a budget of $35,000, The Blair Witch Project was purchased by Artisan Entertainment for $1.1 million and went on to earn over $248 million at the worldwide box office when it was released in 1999. Donahue, Leonard, Williams, who used their own names in the film and improvised the dialogue while being paid $500 a week during production,...
Made on a budget of $35,000, The Blair Witch Project was purchased by Artisan Entertainment for $1.1 million and went on to earn over $248 million at the worldwide box office when it was released in 1999. Donahue, Leonard, Williams, who used their own names in the film and improvised the dialogue while being paid $500 a week during production,...
- 6/13/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Oscar-nominated 2022 feature “TÁR” made a chilling statement onscreen, but the film appears to have sourced one particular audio clip from an iconic horror movie: “The Blair Witch Project,” directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez.
Heather Donahue said during an interview with Variety that “TÁR” used her final scream from “The Blair Witch Project” for a key scene of its own — and without permission. In “TÁR,” the titular composer Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) is running in the woods and hears a startling cry from an unseen woman. According to Donahue, that scream was sampled from the 1999 Lionsgate film “The Blair Witch Project,” heard at the very end of the film as her character appears to die offscreen.
Donahue, who now goes by Rei Hance on social media and elsewhere but is attributed as Donahue in the Variety piece, said she alerted “The Blair Witch Project” distributor Lionsgate to the unauthorized...
Heather Donahue said during an interview with Variety that “TÁR” used her final scream from “The Blair Witch Project” for a key scene of its own — and without permission. In “TÁR,” the titular composer Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) is running in the woods and hears a startling cry from an unseen woman. According to Donahue, that scream was sampled from the 1999 Lionsgate film “The Blair Witch Project,” heard at the very end of the film as her character appears to die offscreen.
Donahue, who now goes by Rei Hance on social media and elsewhere but is attributed as Donahue in the Variety piece, said she alerted “The Blair Witch Project” distributor Lionsgate to the unauthorized...
- 6/12/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
In the summer of 1999, Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams and Joshua Leonard were trapped in a strange sort of limbo. “The Blair Witch Project,” their debut feature, had exploded out of the Sundance Film Festival that January to become one of the most influential horror movies of the past 25 years — and, with a $35,000 budget, one of the most profitable independent films ever made. And yet Donahue was still puttering to her temp job in a 1984 Toyota Celica, before it broke down right underneath a billboard with her face on it. Williams’ boss kept asking him why he was still moving furniture in Westchester, N.Y., when he was on the cover of Newsweek. And Leonard found himself serving food to his agent at a catering gig days before he appeared on “The Tonight Show.”
“My agent asked me what the fuck I was doing,” Leonard says. “I said, ‘You know...
“My agent asked me what the fuck I was doing,” Leonard says. “I said, ‘You know...
- 6/12/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
What scares Stephen King? The legendary horror author has made a career (and a fortune) frightening us all with his tales of terror. But what gets under King's skin? What gives him the creeps? "Pet Sematary" was famously sold as the "Stephen King novel that scared Stephen King," mostly because King thought the book was too damn bleak but published it to fulfill a contractual obligation.
But what about horror works by other people? Are there horror movies that give the master of horror the heebie jeebies? As it turns out, there's one movie in particular King has claimed scared him. In fact, it scared him so much that the first time he watched it he requested it be turned off before the film even ended. That film: "The Blair Witch Project," the blockbuster indie horror movie that became a cultural phenomenon when it arrived in 1999.
Read more: The 95 Best...
But what about horror works by other people? Are there horror movies that give the master of horror the heebie jeebies? As it turns out, there's one movie in particular King has claimed scared him. In fact, it scared him so much that the first time he watched it he requested it be turned off before the film even ended. That film: "The Blair Witch Project," the blockbuster indie horror movie that became a cultural phenomenon when it arrived in 1999.
Read more: The 95 Best...
- 5/18/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
"The Blair Witch Project" is back in the news. First, word recently broke that a new "Blair Witch" movie is in the works from Blumhouse and Lionsgate. This was greeted as less-than-ideal information by the folks involved with the original movie, who feel they should be involved with the new film, too, and who can blame them? Then came word that the original cast members of the first film were asking for residuals for the use of their likenesses throughout the franchise.
In short, things seem messy in "Blair Witch" world. Talk about scary! But let's look beyond these recent headlines and back at the franchise itself. As of now, there are three feature films. There are also a handful of excellent made-for-tv faux documentaries that served as tie-ins for the films, but we won't be touching on those here. Instead, we're going to focus on the three theatrical releases: "The Blair Witch Project,...
In short, things seem messy in "Blair Witch" world. Talk about scary! But let's look beyond these recent headlines and back at the franchise itself. As of now, there are three feature films. There are also a handful of excellent made-for-tv faux documentaries that served as tie-ins for the films, but we won't be touching on those here. Instead, we're going to focus on the three theatrical releases: "The Blair Witch Project,...
- 4/27/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Earlier this month, Lionsgate announced the revival of The Blair Witch Project franchise with a new movie. Now, in the wake of that announcement, the cast from the original film has come forward to decry “25 years of disrespect” from Lionsgate and make new demands ahead of the reboot.
Released in 1999 via Artisan Entertainment, the original Blair Witch Project starred Joshua Leonard, Heather Donahue (now named Rei Hance), and Michael Williams, who used their real names and likeness for the project. Since Artisan Entertainment was bought-out by Lionsgate in 2003, though, the cast has allegedly experienced quite a bit of disrespect, even down to being forced to go to court just to win back their own names (since their Blair Witch “characters” were IP belonging to the production house).
The announcement of the reboot last month was the straw that broke the camel’s back, though. Taking to social media, Leonard began...
Released in 1999 via Artisan Entertainment, the original Blair Witch Project starred Joshua Leonard, Heather Donahue (now named Rei Hance), and Michael Williams, who used their real names and likeness for the project. Since Artisan Entertainment was bought-out by Lionsgate in 2003, though, the cast has allegedly experienced quite a bit of disrespect, even down to being forced to go to court just to win back their own names (since their Blair Witch “characters” were IP belonging to the production house).
The announcement of the reboot last month was the straw that broke the camel’s back, though. Taking to social media, Leonard began...
- 4/22/2024
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Film News
The stars of 1999’s The Blair Witch Project have called on Lionsgate to do the right thing following last week’s reboot announcement.
Earlier this month, we learned that Lionsgate would be partnering with Blumhouse to reboot The Blair Witch Project, the 1999 smash hit that redefined the horror landscape, rocket-fuelling the found footage sub-genre and becoming one of the most successful indie films ever made.
Then came the news that the original film’s creators hadn’t been consulted regarding the new project. Worse still, they weren’t even informed about it, having to find out about the reboot at the same tame as everybody else.
It looks like the core creative trio of Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams are pushing back, with the three filmmakers releasing a public statement in which they propose to be recompensed for payments that they never received because they were too young...
Earlier this month, we learned that Lionsgate would be partnering with Blumhouse to reboot The Blair Witch Project, the 1999 smash hit that redefined the horror landscape, rocket-fuelling the found footage sub-genre and becoming one of the most successful indie films ever made.
Then came the news that the original film’s creators hadn’t been consulted regarding the new project. Worse still, they weren’t even informed about it, having to find out about the reboot at the same tame as everybody else.
It looks like the core creative trio of Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams are pushing back, with the three filmmakers releasing a public statement in which they propose to be recompensed for payments that they never received because they were too young...
- 4/22/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
Actors Rei Hance, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams – who improvised most of horror film’s dialogue – claim they didn’t have proper union representation in 1999 and seek residuals
The stars of The Blair Witch Project have called for more compensation for their work in the original film, as well as “meaningful consultation” on any reboots and sequels, after it was announced that the horror franchise is being revived yet again.
On Saturday, actors Rei Hance (formerly known as Heather Donahue), Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams issued an open letter to Lionsgate, the studio that now owns the Blair Witch franchise.
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The stars of The Blair Witch Project have called for more compensation for their work in the original film, as well as “meaningful consultation” on any reboots and sequels, after it was announced that the horror franchise is being revived yet again.
On Saturday, actors Rei Hance (formerly known as Heather Donahue), Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams issued an open letter to Lionsgate, the studio that now owns the Blair Witch franchise.
Sign up for our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning...
- 4/22/2024
- by Michael Sun
- The Guardian - Film News
"The Blair Witch Project" wasn't the first found footage horror film, but it is largely responsible for the explosion in found footage horror films over the last 25 years. A big reason for that? The numbers. Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, "Blair Witch" was shot over just eight days with an initial outlay of just $35,000. It was bought by Artisan Entertainment for $1 million, and the studio spent around $6-8 million marketing it (per The Hollywood Reporter). The movie went on to gross more than $248 million at the box office.
It's a studio executive's dream to land a project like that, and studios have been chasing the high of "The Blair Witch Project" ever since. There have been two "Blair Witch" movie sequels, with another "reimagining" recently announced by Blumhouse and Lionsgate. There have been books, comic books, and video games. It's a full-blown horror franchise that hasn't stopped making...
It's a studio executive's dream to land a project like that, and studios have been chasing the high of "The Blair Witch Project" ever since. There have been two "Blair Witch" movie sequels, with another "reimagining" recently announced by Blumhouse and Lionsgate. There have been books, comic books, and video games. It's a full-blown horror franchise that hasn't stopped making...
- 4/21/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
While 1999’s The Blair Witch Project was a phenomenon upon release, who knew we would still be talking about it 25 years later? More directly, who knew we would be focusing so much on all of the “disrespect” that the studio has for the original cast? At least, that’s the claim that star Joshua Leonard makes, launching a campaign to bring attention to Lionsgate, who acquired Artisan two decades ago and he believes is unfairly profiting from the screams, sweat and tears of the original cast. Now, he is being joined by The Blair Witch Project co-stars Heather Donahue and Michael Williams in their efforts to receive residuals and to be consulted on any future endeavors.
In a joint statement (via Deadline), Leonard, Donahue and Williams are asking that Lionsgate fork over past and future The Blair Witch Project residuals “for acting services rendered in the original Bwp, equivalent to...
In a joint statement (via Deadline), Leonard, Donahue and Williams are asking that Lionsgate fork over past and future The Blair Witch Project residuals “for acting services rendered in the original Bwp, equivalent to...
- 4/21/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Officially announced by Blumhouse and Lionsgate earlier this month, a reboot of The Blair Witch Project is currently in the works, which will be the third follow-up to the original found footage horror classic that changed the game back in 1999. In the wake of the announcement, the original creators and stars have each issued joint statements this weekend.
The Blair Witch Project was created by filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez – along with Haxan Films creative partners Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie and Michael Monello – back in the 1990s, with stars Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard heading out into the woods of Maryland to conjure up horror magic together.
The actors largely improvised their performances and even used their real names in the movie, with the film’s clever viral marketing campaign leading many to believe that they weren’t actually actors in a movie, but rather real...
The Blair Witch Project was created by filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez – along with Haxan Films creative partners Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie and Michael Monello – back in the 1990s, with stars Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard heading out into the woods of Maryland to conjure up horror magic together.
The actors largely improvised their performances and even used their real names in the movie, with the film’s clever viral marketing campaign leading many to believe that they weren’t actually actors in a movie, but rather real...
- 4/21/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Blair Witch Project is one of the best horror/mysteries of all time, even credited by many for changing the face of terror into something unimaginable. Not only do the terrifying events shown in Eduardo Sánchez, Gregg Hale, and Daniel Myrick’s film have the audience trepid in horror, but even bringing those events to life was a helluva task for the cast and crew.
The Blair Witch Project (1999).
That being said, the crew behind the lens actually had some of the most fearsome approaches to shooting the movie. This included the filmmakers literally playing the Blair Witch for the three main leads of the film who end up going missing (in the movie) — something that must have been unarguably brutally scary even for the main actors!
Scare Tactics for The Blair Witch Project Were Beyond Brutal
If you think that The Blair Witch Project is actually one of...
The Blair Witch Project (1999).
That being said, the crew behind the lens actually had some of the most fearsome approaches to shooting the movie. This included the filmmakers literally playing the Blair Witch for the three main leads of the film who end up going missing (in the movie) — something that must have been unarguably brutally scary even for the main actors!
Scare Tactics for The Blair Witch Project Were Beyond Brutal
If you think that The Blair Witch Project is actually one of...
- 4/21/2024
- by Mahin Sultan
- FandomWire
The Blair Witch Project stands as a pinnacle of horror cinema, claiming its iconic status globally. Despite numerous attempts to replicate its groundbreaking style or success, no project has managed to capture its essence.
As the 25th anniversary of the film approaches, the cast of this iconic movie has united to negotiate with Lionsgate, seeking their rightful residuals along with two other crucial demands. Fans are fuming after finding out how the cast had been treated post the mega success, and they’re making sure their frustration is heard loud and clear.
1999 American supernatural horror film, about a fictional legend known as the Blair Witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast Exposes Lionsgate!
Only a handful of projects could ever match the uniqueness that The Blair Witch Project brought to the table. When it first debuted in 1999, it captured the world’s attention like nothing before, and nothing since has surpassed it.
As the 25th anniversary of the film approaches, the cast of this iconic movie has united to negotiate with Lionsgate, seeking their rightful residuals along with two other crucial demands. Fans are fuming after finding out how the cast had been treated post the mega success, and they’re making sure their frustration is heard loud and clear.
1999 American supernatural horror film, about a fictional legend known as the Blair Witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast Exposes Lionsgate!
Only a handful of projects could ever match the uniqueness that The Blair Witch Project brought to the table. When it first debuted in 1999, it captured the world’s attention like nothing before, and nothing since has surpassed it.
- 4/21/2024
- by Sampurna Banerjee
- FandomWire
The stars of The Blair Witch Project have come together with a public proposal to Lionsgate after the studio recently announced a partnership with Blumhouse for a reboot of the 1999 horror sensation.
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams wrote in a statement on Saturday that they’re asking Lionsgate for retroactive and future residual payments, “meaningful consultation” on any future Blair Witch projects and an annual $60,000 grant for “an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making their first feature film.”
“Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective,” they wrote in part. “Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far unutilized secret-weapon!”
The trio’s...
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams wrote in a statement on Saturday that they’re asking Lionsgate for retroactive and future residual payments, “meaningful consultation” on any future Blair Witch projects and an annual $60,000 grant for “an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making their first feature film.”
“Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective,” they wrote in part. “Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far unutilized secret-weapon!”
The trio’s...
- 4/21/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The stars of The Blair Witch Project are banding together and sharing a public proposal to Lionsgate after the studio partnered with Blumhouse for a reboot.
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams shared a statement asking for retroactive and future residual payments, want “meaningful consultation” on any future Blair Witch projects and also want the studio to start a grant for aspiring filmmakers.
The trio is asking for residuals “for acting services rendered in the original Bwp, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.”
Donahue, Leonard and Williams want to be consulted “on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc… , in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”
“Our...
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams shared a statement asking for retroactive and future residual payments, want “meaningful consultation” on any future Blair Witch projects and also want the studio to start a grant for aspiring filmmakers.
The trio is asking for residuals “for acting services rendered in the original Bwp, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.”
Donahue, Leonard and Williams want to be consulted “on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc… , in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”
“Our...
- 4/21/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams, stars of the seminal horror film “The Blair Witch Project,” released a public letter to Lionsgate on Saturday asking for more robust compensation for their work on the 1999 blockbuster, as well as “meaningful consultation” on any future “Blair Witch” projects that use their names or likenesses.
The statement comes 10 days after Lionsgate and Blumhouse announced they plan to revive the franchise with a new movie that would provide, in the words of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson, “new vision for ‘Blair Witch’ that will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation.” Lionsgate did not produce or distribute the original 1999 film. It acquired the property through its 2003 buyout of independent film distributor Artisan Entertainment.
The Lionsgate-Blumhouse announcement sparked a strongly worded response via social media from Leonard, who said that no one had contacted him or his costars about the project in advance.
The statement comes 10 days after Lionsgate and Blumhouse announced they plan to revive the franchise with a new movie that would provide, in the words of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson, “new vision for ‘Blair Witch’ that will reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation.” Lionsgate did not produce or distribute the original 1999 film. It acquired the property through its 2003 buyout of independent film distributor Artisan Entertainment.
The Lionsgate-Blumhouse announcement sparked a strongly worded response via social media from Leonard, who said that no one had contacted him or his costars about the project in advance.
- 4/21/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
The team behind the original 1999 film The Blair Witch Project didn’t know about the plan for a new movie in the horror franchise until it was announced during Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation last week. But the filmmakers’ frustrations over their lack of involvement in the future of the series has been building for years.
“It’s bittersweet, honestly,” Ben Rock, production designer on the 1999 found-footage hit, tells The Hollywood Reporter about the planned reboot. He notes that no one from his film, including co-directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, was involved in any significant way in the 2000 sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, or the 2016 follow-up. Rock hopes this will change for the current project that is in the works from Lionsgate and Blumhouse, but so far, no one from the 1999 movie had been contacted or given a chance to pitch, he says.
“I do think that what...
“It’s bittersweet, honestly,” Ben Rock, production designer on the 1999 found-footage hit, tells The Hollywood Reporter about the planned reboot. He notes that no one from his film, including co-directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, was involved in any significant way in the 2000 sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, or the 2016 follow-up. Rock hopes this will change for the current project that is in the works from Lionsgate and Blumhouse, but so far, no one from the 1999 movie had been contacted or given a chance to pitch, he says.
“I do think that what...
- 4/15/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Blair Witch Project was a movie that should have been left alone. But such insanely successful films rarely are, with the ultra-indie movie going on to spawn everything from inevitable sequels to tie-in comic books to, yes, video games. Add to that now a “reimagining” courtesy of Blumhouse, which hasn’t exactly been a well received idea from fans – or stars – of the 1999 horror blockbuster.
Joshua Leonard – one of the three stars of The Blair Witch Project, along with Heather Donahue and Michael Williams – is now speaking out against the planned movie (a Lionsgate co-production), particularly as it relates to how the original cast is treated. Linking to a piece in Variety about the Blumhouse venture, Leonard wrote, in part: “The Weird Part [about his likeness being used in the press] is that I didn’t know anything about it until a friend sent me a ‘congrats’ screenshot yesterday. My frustration is compounded b/c I’ve...
Joshua Leonard – one of the three stars of The Blair Witch Project, along with Heather Donahue and Michael Williams – is now speaking out against the planned movie (a Lionsgate co-production), particularly as it relates to how the original cast is treated. Linking to a piece in Variety about the Blumhouse venture, Leonard wrote, in part: “The Weird Part [about his likeness being used in the press] is that I didn’t know anything about it until a friend sent me a ‘congrats’ screenshot yesterday. My frustration is compounded b/c I’ve...
- 4/13/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Few films have changed the landscape of horror like The Blair Witch Project. Purporting to be recovered footage from a doomed documentary, the story follows three filmmakers who venture into the Black Hills of Maryland to investigate the legend of the Blair Witch. They never return. This lean and mean film was cobbled together from hours of footage shot by the actors improvising fictionalized versions of themselves. Directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez made the bold choice to never show the titular monster, elevating the film from a creepy tale set in a haunted woods to one of the most terrifying, profitable, and ambitious horror films of all time. Though her face remains in the shadows, the Blair Witch has become a cultural phenomenon with a legacy that reaches far beyond the real life entities who may have inspired her creation.
Because Heather (Heather Donahue), Josh (Joshua Leonard) and Mike...
Because Heather (Heather Donahue), Josh (Joshua Leonard) and Mike...
- 2/6/2024
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Horror films and controversy often go hand in hand. Historically, no genre has pushed the boundaries of what is acceptable onscreen as much as horror, with authorities like the MPAA and the BBFC constantly stepping in to protect filmgoers from extreme content.
Controversies abound in horror, with countless examples of censorship, intrusive cuts, or outright bans. Other times, films can provoke a visceral reaction from the audience; "Audition" prompted people to faint in the initial screenings, for example, while "The Exorcist" gained everlasting notoriety for the apparent hysteria it caused in cinemas.
Rather than a comprehensive list, this represents a broad spread of different types of controversial deaths in horror films. It might best be summed up as 14 of the most interesting controversial deaths, rather than necessarily all of the most obvious choices. As such, please take the order with a pinch of salt. Lots of spoilers below, so beware!
Controversies abound in horror, with countless examples of censorship, intrusive cuts, or outright bans. Other times, films can provoke a visceral reaction from the audience; "Audition" prompted people to faint in the initial screenings, for example, while "The Exorcist" gained everlasting notoriety for the apparent hysteria it caused in cinemas.
Rather than a comprehensive list, this represents a broad spread of different types of controversial deaths in horror films. It might best be summed up as 14 of the most interesting controversial deaths, rather than necessarily all of the most obvious choices. As such, please take the order with a pinch of salt. Lots of spoilers below, so beware!
- 10/15/2023
- by Nick Bartlett
- Slash Film
Groundbreaking horror mockumentary The Blair Witch Project blurred the lines between fiction and reality as a group of unknown filmmakers created a movie that required a safe word.
University of Central Florida student filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez designed a story outline for the movie and allowed the actors to essentially “become” the characters. That led actors Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard to remain in strict character throughout the eight days of filming – which required a safe word and a very large knife.
Why did ‘The Blair Witch Project’ cast needed a safe word?
The filmmaking duo wrote a 35-page outline instead of an actual script, which may have been why Miramax passed on their pitch. Eventually, Artisan Entertainment moved forward with the project and they began to cast for the film.
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams| William Thomas Cain
Because filmmakers wanted to go full throttle into improv,...
University of Central Florida student filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez designed a story outline for the movie and allowed the actors to essentially “become” the characters. That led actors Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard to remain in strict character throughout the eight days of filming – which required a safe word and a very large knife.
Why did ‘The Blair Witch Project’ cast needed a safe word?
The filmmaking duo wrote a 35-page outline instead of an actual script, which may have been why Miramax passed on their pitch. Eventually, Artisan Entertainment moved forward with the project and they began to cast for the film.
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams| William Thomas Cain
Because filmmakers wanted to go full throttle into improv,...
- 7/14/2023
- by Gina Ragusa
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Longtime readers of Arrow in the Head will probably remember the article series The Test of Time. Now The Test of Time has been revived as a video series, and you can check out the new episode in the embed above! With this one, we’re looking back at the 1999 hit The Blair Witch Project (watch it Here)… and to find out whether or not we think this movie stands the test of time, all you have to do is play the video!
Written and directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, The Blair Witch Project has the following synopsis: Found video footage tells the tale of three film students who’ve traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale’s veracity. But the...
Written and directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, The Blair Witch Project has the following synopsis: Found video footage tells the tale of three film students who’ve traveled to a small town to collect documentary footage about the Blair Witch, a legendary local murderer. Over the course of several days, the students interview townspeople and gather clues to support the tale’s veracity. But the...
- 3/21/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
"My obituary was published when I was 24," begins Heather Donahue. You don't even have to be a horror fan for you to recognize her terrified, runny-nosed face, the face that "The Blair Witch Project" seared onto the pop culture consciousness in 1999, one of the greatest years for movies. Scraped together by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, "The Blair Witch Project" changed the landscape of horror movies with its lo-fi approach; despite little by way of script, set pieces, and budget, the trio of actors leading the documentary on a local legend shot and acted the story so well that everyone thought it was real, following in the tradition of controversial luminaries of the genre like "Cannibal Holocaust."
Despite their training and contributions to the movie, stars Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard — all trained actors — were paid wages so scant that they struggled in stark contrast to the film's runaway success.
Despite their training and contributions to the movie, stars Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Joshua Leonard — all trained actors — were paid wages so scant that they struggled in stark contrast to the film's runaway success.
- 10/21/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
"The Blair Witch Project" needs little introduction, it's an indie horror success story for the ages. Shot in 1999 in Seneca Creek State Park with a penny-pinching budget of about 75,000, its deceptive amount of simplicity gave birth to the found footage horror genre, and the film's unconventional promotional stunts cemented it one of the greatest (and one of the first) modern viral marketing campaigns ever.
Advertised as a recovered documentary, the filmmakers faked obituaries and missing posters for the film's central actors and even aired a SyFy mockumentary that echoed the film's lore — all supplemental material that helped buy an early internet generation into its immersive, mysterious Arg campaign that blurred the lines of fiction and reality. The film went on to make nearly 250 million dollars in the worldwide box office, conjuring millions from pennies.
Unfortunately, for the actors in hiding at the time, it was a lot more difficult to...
Advertised as a recovered documentary, the filmmakers faked obituaries and missing posters for the film's central actors and even aired a SyFy mockumentary that echoed the film's lore — all supplemental material that helped buy an early internet generation into its immersive, mysterious Arg campaign that blurred the lines of fiction and reality. The film went on to make nearly 250 million dollars in the worldwide box office, conjuring millions from pennies.
Unfortunately, for the actors in hiding at the time, it was a lot more difficult to...
- 10/20/2022
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
Keep your warm-colored lights and green pine trees. For some of us, October is the most wonderful time of the year. You can smell it as autumnal leaves drifting across the grass; you can hear it as children laugh in their most beloved Halloween costumes; and you can see it with the cornucopia of horror movies to watch.
Aye, horror flicks are the most important part of the season to some. For 31 days, you don’t need an excuse to indulge in the wicked and the weird, and to hopefully scare yourself silly. But in an age of streaming, and when countless mounds of content is being thrown at you, how do you decide what to watch? Well, at least when it comes to Amazon Prime Video, we have a few ideas…
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
U.S. Only
It’s rare for any subgenre of horror to have...
Aye, horror flicks are the most important part of the season to some. For 31 days, you don’t need an excuse to indulge in the wicked and the weird, and to hopefully scare yourself silly. But in an age of streaming, and when countless mounds of content is being thrown at you, how do you decide what to watch? Well, at least when it comes to Amazon Prime Video, we have a few ideas…
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
U.S. Only
It’s rare for any subgenre of horror to have...
- 10/7/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The found footage genre gained mainstream popularity when Heather Donahue stuck her snotty nose in a wobbly camera and sobbed about The Blair Witch. Today, the shaky camera work, incessant screaming, and ambiguous endings are often dismissed as cliche and derivative, but that wasn't the case when "The Blair Witch Project" was originally released. Back in 1999, audiences were so unaccustomed to a shaky camera that moviegoers vomited in the aisles and walked out of the theater. Motion sickness combined with high-pitched wailing and mounting suspense was a recipe for vomit and refunds for some and a unique and intoxicating ride for others. Decades after Mike...
The post Found Footage Horror Movies Most People Could Actually Survive appeared first on /Film.
The post Found Footage Horror Movies Most People Could Actually Survive appeared first on /Film.
- 8/11/2022
- by Christian Gainey
- Slash Film
In a year that saw Fight Club, The Sixth Sense, and The Matrix, an unexpected horror movie made a huge impact on the culture in 1999: The Blair Witch Project. This independent picture saw three film students travel around town for a documentary about a local murderer called the Blair Witch. But, as the three filmmakers lose their way in the woods, the real horror begins. The Blair Witch Project went on to garner critical praise and the movie went on to make nearly $250 million worldwide. The Blair Witch Project was more
Movie Rewind: Is The Blair Witch Project Still A Good Movie?...
Movie Rewind: Is The Blair Witch Project Still A Good Movie?...
- 9/7/2021
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
Welcome back to Let’s Scare Bryan to Death, where we’re joined by horror critic and academic Mary Beth McAndrews. You’ve likely read her stuff at, well, a sh*tload of outlets, including Grim Journal, Rue Morgue, We Are Horror, Film School Rejects, and Shudder’s The Bite (check out the full list at her website). You’ve probably also heard her voice on podcasts Scarred for Life, where she and previous guest Terry Mesnard discuss the movies that messed us up as kids and Watched Once, Never Again, where she and Dax Ebaben discuss the movies that mess us up regardless of our age.
It’s also no coincidence that you’ll find McAndrews as a contributor in House of Leaves’ upcoming book Filtered Reality: The Progenitors and Evolution of Found Footage Horror. She is an avid champion of the found footage subgenre, and for this month...
It’s also no coincidence that you’ll find McAndrews as a contributor in House of Leaves’ upcoming book Filtered Reality: The Progenitors and Evolution of Found Footage Horror. She is an avid champion of the found footage subgenre, and for this month...
- 6/23/2021
- by Bryan Christopher
- DailyDead
Flix Flashback In #WatchWithTNM this week, we revisit found footage horror film 'The Blair Witch Project' which still inspires discussions.Geetika MantriScreenshot “It was my fault, because it was my project. Everything had to be my way. And this is where we've ended up and it's all because of me that we're here now – hungry, cold, and hunted. I love you mom, dad. I am so sorry. What is that? I'm scared to close my eyes, I'm scared to open them!” says Heather huddled in her tent in the middle of the woods, with the only light on her face coming from the camera she is speaking into. Half of her face is close, very close to the camera that catches her nostrils flaring and shrinking as she sobs and shudders, her tears forming and spilling from her eyes. A shot from this memorable scene from The Blair Witch Project...
- 10/16/2020
- by Geetika
- The News Minute
[To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the cult classic Heathers, we're celebrating all week long with "Heathers of Horror" special features highlighting our favorite horror performances by women with the same name as the iconic clique from the 1989 dark comedy! Check here to catch up on all of our "Heathers Week" special features!]
“I can’t believe we have to leave just when shit’s happening.”
Instead of screaming, that’s what Heather Donahue says after she, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams wake up to find three piles of stones arranged cemetery-style outside their tent in The Blair Witch Project. It may not be the typical response you would expect one to have in that situation, knowing that someone (or something) was close enough to your tent while you were sleeping to make ominous cairns, but Heather Donahue is no typical actress, and the character that she’s playing (a fictionalized version of herself), is far from ordinary, it’s extraordinarily real,...
“I can’t believe we have to leave just when shit’s happening.”
Instead of screaming, that’s what Heather Donahue says after she, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams wake up to find three piles of stones arranged cemetery-style outside their tent in The Blair Witch Project. It may not be the typical response you would expect one to have in that situation, knowing that someone (or something) was close enough to your tent while you were sleeping to make ominous cairns, but Heather Donahue is no typical actress, and the character that she’s playing (a fictionalized version of herself), is far from ordinary, it’s extraordinarily real,...
- 4/17/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
We are just about a month out from the official kickoff of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, and this week, the fest announced two more titles for their Midnight programming slate, as well as a special screening of the original The Blair Witch Project, which first debuted at Sundance back in 1999. Here’s a look at the new additions to this year’s festival lineup, and be sure to check back here in late January for all of Daily Dead’s exclusive coverage from Sundance 2019:
Corporate Animals / U.S.A. — Disaster strikes when the egotistical CEO of an edible cutlery company leads her long-suffering staff on a corporate team-building trip in New Mexico. Trapped underground, this mismatched and disgruntled group must pull together to survive. Cast: Demi Moore, Ed Helms, Jessica Williams, Karan Soni. World Premiere
Wounds / U.S.A., United Kingdom — Disturbing and mysterious things begin to happen to...
Corporate Animals / U.S.A. — Disaster strikes when the egotistical CEO of an edible cutlery company leads her long-suffering staff on a corporate team-building trip in New Mexico. Trapped underground, this mismatched and disgruntled group must pull together to survive. Cast: Demi Moore, Ed Helms, Jessica Williams, Karan Soni. World Premiere
Wounds / U.S.A., United Kingdom — Disturbing and mysterious things begin to happen to...
- 12/21/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Sundance has added five films to next month’s lineup, including Babak Anvari’s “Wounds.” The writer-director, whose “Under the Shadow” made waves at the festival two years ago, returns to Park City alongside Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson, and Zazie Beets with a film in which “disturbing and mysterious things begin to happen to a bartender in New Orleans after he picks up a phone left behind at his bar.
Also returning to Sundance are “The Blair Witch Project” and “The Hours and Times,” which are screening as part of From the Collection. “Wounds” isn’t the only premiere, as “Corporate Animals” — which stars Demi Moore, Ed Helms, and Jessica Williams — and “Paddleton” (led by Mark Duplass and Ray Romano) are likewise bowing at the fest.
Premieres
“Paddleton” / U.S.A. — An unlikely friendship between two misfit neighbors becomes an unexpectedly emotional journey when the younger man is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Also returning to Sundance are “The Blair Witch Project” and “The Hours and Times,” which are screening as part of From the Collection. “Wounds” isn’t the only premiere, as “Corporate Animals” — which stars Demi Moore, Ed Helms, and Jessica Williams — and “Paddleton” (led by Mark Duplass and Ray Romano) are likewise bowing at the fest.
Premieres
“Paddleton” / U.S.A. — An unlikely friendship between two misfit neighbors becomes an unexpectedly emotional journey when the younger man is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
- 12/20/2018
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
[To help get you into the spooky spirit this October, the Daily Dead team thought it would be a great idea to spotlight some of our favorite witchcraft movies that just might cast a spell on you and make your Halloween season a "hexcellent" one!]
"In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found."
Or so the marketing campaign told us. After The Blair Witch Project was released in 1999, audiences learned that there never was a group of film students, that the Blair Witch was made up for the purpose of this movie, and that the notion that this footage had been discovered in the woods was all just a ploy. Some found this clever, while others found it disingenuous. Either way, this simple premise gave rise to a film that would have a huge impact on horror cinema.
As the story opens, Heather (Heather Donahue), Josh (Joshua Leonard), and Mike (Michael C. Williams) are heading into the Maryland woods to film a documentary on the Blair Witch, a local legend that had haunted the woods surrounding Burkittsville for decades.
"In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found."
Or so the marketing campaign told us. After The Blair Witch Project was released in 1999, audiences learned that there never was a group of film students, that the Blair Witch was made up for the purpose of this movie, and that the notion that this footage had been discovered in the woods was all just a ploy. Some found this clever, while others found it disingenuous. Either way, this simple premise gave rise to a film that would have a huge impact on horror cinema.
As the story opens, Heather (Heather Donahue), Josh (Joshua Leonard), and Mike (Michael C. Williams) are heading into the Maryland woods to film a documentary on the Blair Witch, a local legend that had haunted the woods surrounding Burkittsville for decades.
- 10/26/2018
- by Emily von Seele
- DailyDead
When surprise horror hit “The Blair Witch Project” inspired a fast-tracked sequel — one that hit the big screen less than two years after the original debuted at the Sundance Film Festival — it was long before the days when such things were considered a given. Yet the film’s smash hit box office numbers and wild word-of-mouth seemed to earmark it as the exact kind of film — horror or otherwise — to franchise, and fast.
Although the film mostly veered away from the found-footage style of the original, it did feature a filmmaker well-equipped to dealing in first-person storytelling: Documentarian Joe Berlinger, in his first narrative directing gig. The film was ultimately plagued by notorious issues, including a studio-led recut that robbed it of much of Berlinger’s vision and a marketing campaign that all but rejected the flash and style of the first film’s ambitious methodology. In short, it wasn’t very good,...
Although the film mostly veered away from the found-footage style of the original, it did feature a filmmaker well-equipped to dealing in first-person storytelling: Documentarian Joe Berlinger, in his first narrative directing gig. The film was ultimately plagued by notorious issues, including a studio-led recut that robbed it of much of Berlinger’s vision and a marketing campaign that all but rejected the flash and style of the first film’s ambitious methodology. In short, it wasn’t very good,...
- 9/19/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
About a decade ago, the team behind the biggest hit of the decade wrote a screenplay for the prequel. It had been a long time coming. In 1999, the shaky-cam horror movie “The Blair Witch Project” grossed nearly $250 million around the world, turning the microbudget chronicle of a few friends who venture into the woods and never returned into an unexpected phenomena. “We had a plan for if it failed, what do with our finances without declaring bankruptcy,” said Eduardo Sanchez, who co-directed with Daniel Myrick. “We didn’t have a plan if it became the highest-grossing independent film of all time.”
However, distributor Artisan Entertainment had plenty of ideas. In the immediate aftermath of “The Blair Witch Project” taking off around the world, the company announced its investment two follow-ups, only one of which came to fruition. Myrick and Sanchez, eager to try something different, instead threw themselves into raising...
However, distributor Artisan Entertainment had plenty of ideas. In the immediate aftermath of “The Blair Witch Project” taking off around the world, the company announced its investment two follow-ups, only one of which came to fruition. Myrick and Sanchez, eager to try something different, instead threw themselves into raising...
- 9/17/2016
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
“Blair Witch,” the sequel to the 1999 thriller “The Blair Witch Project,” is now out in theaters. For those who enjoyed the horror film that tricked everyone into thinking it was a true story, it’s a great blast from the past. But for others like Heather Donahue, star of the original film, news of the sequel initially brought back some bad memories.
Donahue wrote a piece for The Guardian where she described how the marketing department for the first film faked her death to sell the movie and the emotions that followed as the picture got bigger and she was left in the dark.
“My obituary was published when I was 24. It’s a complicated thing to be dead when you’re still very much alive and eager to make a name for yourself,” she wrote. “ I was the girl. The girl from ‘The Blair Witch Project.’”
Read More: Weekend Box Office Preview: ‘Sully’ Holds,...
Donahue wrote a piece for The Guardian where she described how the marketing department for the first film faked her death to sell the movie and the emotions that followed as the picture got bigger and she was left in the dark.
“My obituary was published when I was 24. It’s a complicated thing to be dead when you’re still very much alive and eager to make a name for yourself,” she wrote. “ I was the girl. The girl from ‘The Blair Witch Project.’”
Read More: Weekend Box Office Preview: ‘Sully’ Holds,...
- 9/16/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
When I reviewed the original The Blair Witch Project, it was March of 1999. I saw it in Austin, in the apartment of a couple of my friends, thanks to Harry Knowles, who had been sent a VHS copy of the film by the filmmakers during its Sundance run. I went to Austin in February, and Harry had been sitting on his copy, waiting for us to get to town. We were there for the third Quentin Tarantino film festival at the still-young Alamo Drafthouse, and on the last night of the festival, my friends and I were set to hit the road as soon as the movies ended. We were road-tripping, and between the four of us, we figured we’d be able to do the entire drive back to La straight through with no stops for sleep. Harry asked us not to leave town right after the film, though.
- 9/16/2016
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
17 years ago, The Blair Witch Project burst into theaters on a massive wave of hype and made instant stars out of its directors, Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick, and its trio of lead actors: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams, who made the cover of Newsweek magazine that same August. It was an unprecedented success that paved the way for the "found footage" genre that would explode over the subsequent decade, with films like Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield successfully exploiting the format's potential. None of these, though, would haunt viewers in quite the same way as Blair Witch, whose grainy, pre-smartphone aesthetic and terrifying denouement would stick with us long after the film's pop-cultural moment had passed. Of the film's three lead actors, Leonard has undoubtedly enjoyed the greatest run of Hollywood success post-Blair Witch, though it's worth noting that his career didn't really begin to heat...
- 9/16/2016
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Plot: James, the younger brother of The Blair Witch Project's Heather Donahue, receives a video that appears to show the infamous footage of her final days in the haunted Black Hills Forest, where the fabled Blair Witch resides. Setting out with a group of friends and two strangers who know the area, James plunges into the woods to find out what really happened to his sister. Review: I was... Read More...
- 9/16/2016
- by Eric Walkuski
- JoBlo.com
It’s scary walking in the foot prints of a legend. It’s not an easy task to try to tackle a sequel to one of the most iconic horror films ever made. Scratch that – one of the most iconic films ever made, period. You will never be able to catch the magic of the original. It was a once in a lifetime thing. It was an event. It was one of the first films to fully utilize the strength and broad reach of the internet (still in its infancy) to create a buzz that we now associate as viral marketing. I remember seeing the poster in the lobby of the theater one night and immediately going on the computer the next day to search what happened to these kids. Reading about these kids that disappeared and how their footage was found a year later sparked a level of intrigue...
- 9/16/2016
- by Michael Haffner
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I carry mixed feelings towards 1999’s “The Blair Witch Project.”
Much like 2009’s “Paranormal Activity,” I respect the craft, ingenuity, and low-budget dedication found throughout the $60,000 production. I like how it sparked viral marketing as we know it today, and I also ultimately appreciate its longstanding contribution to not merely the horror genre, but film in general, and I recognize and often admire the commitment given by directors Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick, as well as actors Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C.
Continue reading ‘Blair Witch’ Can’t Capture The Mystique Of The Original [Review] at The Playlist.
Much like 2009’s “Paranormal Activity,” I respect the craft, ingenuity, and low-budget dedication found throughout the $60,000 production. I like how it sparked viral marketing as we know it today, and I also ultimately appreciate its longstanding contribution to not merely the horror genre, but film in general, and I recognize and often admire the commitment given by directors Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick, as well as actors Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C.
Continue reading ‘Blair Witch’ Can’t Capture The Mystique Of The Original [Review] at The Playlist.
- 9/15/2016
- by Will Ashton
- The Playlist
The original Blair Witch Project is of course best remembered as one of the most iconic (some would say greatest) horror films of the '90s, but in the early going, the film takes a few surprisingly successful stabs at humor. The greatest moment of all? Heather Donahue's "impromptu" chat with that fearful child and his witty, effortlessly-charming mother. First, the toddler's aggressively mortified reactions? Classic. Second, how does this woman have no other IMDb credits? For the record, her name is Jackie Hallex and I assume she was/is a resident of Burkittsville, the real Maryland town where the interview portions were shot. I guess she never believed in her stardom the way that I do, though I like to imagine she's trading perfectly-timed quips in a Burkittsville greasy spoon at this very moment. Reality Check: that child is at least 17 years old now. Time is fleeting!
- 9/15/2016
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
One might think appearing in a movie that grosses $248 million and becomes the talk of the nation for weeks, even months, would be a good thing. But that was not necessarily the case for Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, and Josh Leonard, the three young actors featured in 1999’s unforgettable The Blair Witch Project. With a new Blair Witch film just days away, attention has turned once again to the micro-budgeted original. That creepy indie classic, shot in the style of a handheld documentary, set the standard for many found-footage horror films to come but did not exactly elevate its leads to stardom. Over at Broadly, writer Emalie Marthe has assembled an intriguing if discouraging oral history of the movie called “‘They Wished I Was Dead’: How The Blair Witch Project Still Haunts Its Cast.” The article includes details on the making, marketing, and reception of this groundbreaking but ...
- 9/14/2016
- by Joe Blevins
- avclub.com
If you’re asking why we need another found footage movie – let alone another sequel to The Blair Witch Project – then you don’t watch enough horror movies. The reality is simple. If it wasn’t now, then it’d happen sometime in the future. And if you’re complaining that Blair Witch doesn’t do anything “different,” well then you Certainly don’t watch enough found footage schlock, because if you sifted through the same handy-cam trash I do on a monthly – nay, Weekly – basis, you’d be thanking Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett, not questioning their surprise horror sequel.
James Allen McCune stars as the brother to The Blair Witch Projects‘s Heather Donahue – also named James – who believes his long-lost sister is still alive after an ominous YouTube clip surfaces. He can’t go alone, so he enlists his best friend (Pete, played by Brandon Scott) and accompanying girlfriend (Ashley,...
James Allen McCune stars as the brother to The Blair Witch Projects‘s Heather Donahue – also named James – who believes his long-lost sister is still alive after an ominous YouTube clip surfaces. He can’t go alone, so he enlists his best friend (Pete, played by Brandon Scott) and accompanying girlfriend (Ashley,...
- 9/12/2016
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
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