As one of the biggest names in horror, James Wan is always looking to the future and one aspect of that will now be to find the next great horror filmmaker. The creative genius behind ‘The Conjuring’ franchise has teamed up with New Line, Stage 13, and ‘Top Chef’ producer Magical Elves for a new reality series that is a competition for horror makers. This 13-episode project is going to have Wan and his Atomic Monster production company executive producing the series with Magical Elves. Wan is a master of horror, and Magical Elves is responsible for ‘Top Chef’ and ‘Project Runway,’ so these two are a marriage made in heaven to have this created, or perhaps one made in Hell to be more fitting for the genre it will be jumping into.
According to Wan:
“I can’t wait to discover the next, new talent in horror. This competition is an exciting opportunity for up-and-coming horror directors to get noticed by the industry and audiences alike.”
Many of the biggest names in horror have come from indie roots as they couldn’t find studios to take a chance on them and now this is an opportunity to potentially jumpstart a career or two. The 13 filmmakers involved will be picked by a panel of “leading horror directors, producers, writers, and executives” and will have the challenge of creating a variety of short films to best scare audiences and show off their work. The winner of the contest will land a deal with New Line to craft a feature film.
According to New Line president-COO Richard Brener and president-chief content officer Carolyn Blackwood:
“New Line has a proud history of horror, and we’re eager to partner with filmmaker James Wan, Atomic Monster and Stage 13 to discover the boldest new voices in the genre that will thrill and excite audiences everywhere.”
Stage 13 senior VP and GM Diana Mogollon also added:
“We want to discover the storytellers who are going to push the genre further and drive a new generation in horror fandom. Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, James Wan and the team at Atomic Monster are leaders in this space, and we’re thrilled to be part of this project.”
Genre films have been at the forefront of media in recent years, and horror has had highly celebrated hits with movies such as ‘The Nun’ which has grossed over $330 million worldwide so far and Stephen King’s ‘It’ pulling in just shy of $200 million. It is a competitive industry and finding fresh blood is a priority so being able to make money with a television series while doing so seems to be a win for the studio.
Are you looking forward to checking out ‘Night Vision’? Which network or streaming service do you think will air the show? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
