"The Blair Witch Project" / Lionsgate
Love it or hate it "The Blair Witch Project" will forever be iconic in the world of found footage. Recent news broke that there will be a new remake of the original film from Eduardo Sanchez. The film's talent has reached out to Lionsgate to ensure they receive residual compensation for future projects involving BWP. Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Micheal Williams shared a statement asking for retroactive and future residual payments. They also want "meaningful consultation" on any future Blair Witch projects. The final part of the request involves a special grant they want the studio to create for aspiring filmmakers.
Currently, there haven't been any statements from Lionsgate or Blumhouse on the statement. Below is a copy of the shared statement as reported first by Deadline.
“Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective. Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team,” read the statement shared on Facebook. “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 post also shared a statement from Eduardo Sánchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hole, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello, the directors and producers of The Blair Witch Project.
“While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast – Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams,” reads the statement. “As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to The Blair Witch Project. Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.”
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