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Remakes have been a part of Hollywood since time immemorial, and even though film enthusiasts are absolutely over it, it doesn’t seem like they are going to stop anytime soon. The fan-favoriteThe Blair Witch Projectis next in line as Lionsgate and Blumhouse are all set to revive the franchise. The 1999 horror film still remains one of the most terrifying films that Hollywood has to offer, and if the remake wants to stand a chance against it, the creators are going to have to give it their all and then some.
Unfortunately, things are already not looking too good for the remake as it has been revealed that the original creators behindThe Blair Witch Projectare not linked to the remake in any shape or form. In fact, they were not even aware of the project before it was announced at CinemaCon 2024.
The Blair Witch ProjectRemake Overlooks Original Creators
Talking toThe Hollywood Reporter, the production designer on the 1999 film, Ben Rock, revealed that none of the team members behind the originalThe Blair Witch Projectknew about the upcoming remake. This includes directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez.
’The Blair Witch Project’ Directors Went To Extreme Lengths To Make Their Small-Budget Film Into a Cult Classic
This is something that has happened before in the sequels,Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2(2000) andBlair Witch(2016). Rock, who was the only one to have worked on the sequels, gave his two cents on the whole thing stating,“It’s bittersweet, honestly”before adding,
“I do think that what has happened twice now was that the original creators were overlooked, and other people were brought in, all of whom were good. But neither one of the sequels connected with audiences the way they wanted it to connect. And so, it might at least be worth talking to some of the original creators.”
He couldn’t have said it better. The additions toThe Blair Witchfranchise have been quite underwhelming and if Lionsgate does not want to go down that road, it would be worth having the original creators chime in with their opinions.
The Blair Witch Project Cast: Where Are They Now?
Mike Monello, who worked as a co-producer on the 1999 film also tweeted his honest, and brutal, reaction.
Anyone working on this franchise must understand that “Blair Witch” events occur every 50-60 years. That’s been codified in the mythology even before the first movie came out, and it’s one reason why “sequels” aren’t the way to go.https://t.co/Y9mv3JxTZF
— Mike Monello (@mikemonello)July 18, 2025
The Blair Witch Projectis considered to be one of the most successful independent films of all time given the fact that principal photography costonly $35,000and the film made almost $250 million at the box office. No wonder a remake is on the way.
Lionsgate is Making the Same Mistake asAvatar: The Last Airbender
The highly-anticipatedlive-action adaptationof Nickelodeon’sAvatar: The Last Airbenderreceived a Rotten Tomatoes score of 60% as opposed to the original’s 100%. The release of the series was met with mixed reviews from both fans and critics withThe Ringer’s Miles Surrey stating,
“The streamer has delivered neither a masterpiece nor a colossal failure; instead, Avatar: The Last Airbender gets a passing grade—but there is reason to believe the show can improve.”
The majority of the critics seem to be of similar opinion as they believe the show could have been a lot better and that there is still room for improvement. Perhaps why the series didn’t impress viewers as much as they had hoped it would, was because the original creators of the Nickelodeon masterpiece left the show mid-way.
Bryan KonietzkoandMichael Dante DiMartinospent two years developing the live-action series but laterannouncedthat they were leaving the adaptation.
“You can’t replace a voice like that”: Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie Will Bring Back Only 1 Actor from the Original Gang and Fans Are Rightfully Furious
Citing creative differences as the reason behind the withdrawal, DiMartino published an open letter on his blog (viaEntertainment Weekly).
“When Bryan and I signed on to the project in 2018, we were hired as executive producers and showrunners. In a joint announcement for the series, Netflix said that it was committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series. And we expressed how excited we were for the opportunity to be at the helm. Unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped.”
He then added that while they didn’t get to“control the creative direction of the series “they could very well control their involvement in it. He also added,
“Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar has the potential to be good. It might turn out to be a show many of you end up enjoying. But what I can be certain about is that whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make.”
Here’s hopingThe Blair Witch Projectremake learns from this move and involves the original creators in the creative process.
you may streamThe Blair Witch Project(1999) on Roku andAvatar: The Last Airbenderon Netflix.
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2258
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you may find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
