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After much than 25 years of reluctantly being nan look of nan franchise, nan character formerly known arsenic Heather Donahue is prioritizing her image complete a Blair Witch return.
With a reimagining successful nan works astatine Lionsgate and Blumhouse, Donahue (who presently goes by Rei Hance) explained why she is “not participating” successful nan Dylan Clark-helmed update connected nan 1999 found-footage classic, The Blair Witch Project, which launched nan scary subgenre into nan mainstream.
“There seems to beryllium immoderate willful disorder astir my engagement pinch nan reboot,” she wrote successful a Facebook comment, responding to a caller question and reply pinch shaper James Wan. “I want to explain that I americium not participating.”
Donahue added, “I was offered an statement that, for maine personally, raised difficult semipermanent questions astir rights, early technological usage of personality and voice, nan expertise to speak freely, and compensation. Ultimately, it conscionable wasn’t thing I felt comfortable signing. I genuinely wish everyone progressive well. But preserving my autonomy mattered much to me.”
During a caller interview, Wan seemed to allude that Donahue was joining her co-stars Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard arsenic executive producers, on pinch nan original scary classic’s filmmakers Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez and Gregg Hale.
“Getting each nan original group that were progressive successful nan original Blair Witch, getting their blessing and getting them involved,” Wan told IndieWire. “That was very important for each of us. We wanted to salary respect to nan bequest of it all.”
Donahue’s latest remark comes aft she, Williams and Leonard called for retroactive and early residual payments from nan movie franchise that they launched to astir $250M worldwide connected a $60K budget, arsenic good arsenic “meaningful consultation” connected immoderate early Blair Witch projects, and for nan workplace to commencement a assistance for aspiring filmmakers, aft nan trio said they were not decently compensated for nan theatrical hit.
“Our movie has now been rebooted twice, some times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective,” they said successful a connection astatine nan time. “Neither of these films were made pinch important imaginative input from nan original team. As nan insiders who created nan Blair Witch and person been listening to what fans emotion & want for 25 years, we’re your azygous greatest, yet thus-far unutilized secret-weapon!”
Following The Blair Witch Project (1999), co-writer/director Joe Berlinger dropped nan found-footage format and nan original formed for nan rushed 2000 sequel Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. In 2016, Lionsgate released nan found-footage sequel Blair Witch, utilizing Donahue’s likeness.
After nan Lionsgate/Blumhouse update precocious headed to nan Cannes market, Deadline heard that nan plot of nan reimagining deals pinch a family that goes connected a camping travel but goes missing 1 by 1 aft they perceive unusual noises successful nan forest. Plans are to sprout this fall.
