Even though the Blair Witch
film franchise hasn’t been among the most exploited in the horror
genre, the influence it’s had is undeniable. Seriously, I can remember
when the first flick debuted in cinemas back in 1999, simultaneously
becoming a cultural phenomenon and being one of those to spearhead the
“found footage” movement. That’s right kids, you pretty much owe this
baby a debt of gratitude if you enjoy anything with “Paranormal
Activity” in the title.
But, like I said, this series wasn’t dragged out to the degree that others such as Saw or the aforementioned Paranormal Activity
were. Instead, the two sequels – one arrived in 2000, with the other
not arriving until 2016 – were spread far apart, but there were a
handful of faux documentaries that dropped in between, thus keeping the
legend alive.
With that, we invite you to journey back into the woods, because Lionsgate is now developing a Blair Witch-themed
television series via its new Studio L brand, which, according to
Deadline, “includes three features set to bow this spring along with
episodic projects in development.”
On that note, Studio L Executive Vice President Seth Laderman had this to offer:
"In today’s fast-changing media landscape, Lionsgate is committed to
creating and distributing various types of content for next generation
audiences with some of the most exciting creative voices and innovative
partners in our industry.
“The projects announced today signal our commitment to finding
stand-out material, incubating new talent, and delivering authentic
storytelling. We will also continue to cultivate and foster fresh
opportunities with existing Lionsgate properties, all built around
Studio L’s low-risk, high-reward distribution model."
Right now, it remains unknown as to who’ll star in the Blair Witch show, what it’ll be about, or even what network or platform it’ll air on, but we’ll keep you posted as more develops.