Exciting news for horror fans just dropped! Highland Film Group has come on board to handle international distribution rights to the horror thriller Witchboard, it was announced today. The re-imagining of the 1986 horror classic stars Jamie Campbell Bower (“Stranger Things,” The Twilight Saga), Madison Iseman (The Jumanji film series, Warner Bros.’ Annabelle Comes Home), Aaron Dominguez (Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building”), Mel Jarnson (Warner Bros.’Mortal Kombat), Charlie Tahan (Netflix’s “Ozark”), and Antonia Desplat (Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, AppleTV+’s “Shantaram,” Lionsgate’s The Killer’s Game). The film premiered this summer at the Fantasia Festival, is directed by Chuck Russell (The Mask, Warner Bros.’ Eraser) and written by Russell and Greg McKay.
Witchboard is produced by Russell (The Mask), Kade Vu, Greg McKay (Universal Pictures’ Undercover Brother) and Bernie Gewissler (Lionsgate’sDetective Knight: Rogue). The film is executive produced by Gala Film’s Eric Schiermeyer and John Paul Isham, as well as Walter Josten and Marc Rousseau, with Marc Cote co-producing.
Highland Film Group is handling international rights to the horror thriller, launching sales at the American Film Market.
“Witchboard is a chilling new take on a beloved horror classic. With slick looks, it’s a nod to the practical effects driven horror movies of the late ’90 and beyond,” said Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser. “Chuck Russell has expertly crafted a gripping and tense horror thriller that pulls its audience into the intoxicating dangers of the supernatural,” added Highland Film Group COO Delphine Perrier.
Emily (Madison Iseman) and her fiancé Christian (Aaron Dominguez) are opening a café in New Orleans, but their plans take a dark turn when Emily discovers an ancient Witchboard, a mystical artifact once used to summon spirits. As Emily becomes obsessed with its power, Christian seeks the help of occult expert Alexander Babtiste (Jamie Campbell Bower), who harbors his own dark secrets. Babtiste draws the couple further into the occult where they find themselves in a race against time to break the board’s deadly curse before Emily becomes its next victim.
Accomplished genre director Chuck Rusell is best known for New Line Cinema’s The Mask starring Jim Carrey. His additional credits include New Line Cinema‘s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, the 1988 remake of the 1958 film The Blob, Warner Bros.’ Eraser starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Universal Pictures’ The Scorpion King starring Dwayne Johnson.
Highland Film Group’s current slate also includes Justin Chadwick’s action thriller Sierra Madre starring Kiefer Sutherland; the action crime thriller Wardriverstarring Dane DeHaan and Sasha Calle; John Stalberg, Jr.’s Muzzle: City of Wolves starring Aaron Eckhart; Allan Ungar’s action-comedy London Callingstarring Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor; and Joe Carnahan’s survival thriller Not Without Hope starring Zachary Levi and Josh Duhamel.
