Some truly shocking and very refreshing news came in this evening as it was announced that actor-producer-director Larry Fessenden has signed on to helm The Orphanage, New Line's remake of the Guillermo del Toro-produced Spanish-language horror movie, writes the Hollywood Reporter. For those of you unaware, Fessenden is a champion of indie horror as he is the sole reason for The Roost, The House of the Devil, Wendigo, The Last Winter, I Sell the Dead and various other films. It's also quite refreshing to see a studio take a chance on someone like Fessenden, who I'm convinced will do a remarkable job. Read on for more details and say your piece below.
Fessenden also has written the script with del Toro, who is producing the new film with Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson of Contrafilm.
The 2007 pic was directed by del Toro protege Juan Antonio Bayona and centered on a woman who, upon returning to the orphanage where she grew up, discovers that her son's imaginary friend is the same person who terrorized her when she was a child.
Fessenden's selection signals the out-of-the-box approach that del Toro and the studio are taking on the remake. They are eschewing another Spanish director to fill Bayona's shoes, and they are not putting the project in the hands of a commercial/music video helmer.
Rather, Fessenden, repped by WME and Renee Tab at Artist Talent Management, is a filmmaker who has worked in the low-budget horror world for some time, making such movies as "Wendigo" and "The Last Winter" while appearing in pics like "I See the Dead."
Del Toro and Fessenden know each other from the horror circuit, with del Toro's admiration of the triple-hyphenate's work leading him to handpick him for the directing gig; del Toro saw in him a filmmaker who understood the conventions of the horror genre and could execute a movie that would be as scary and disturbing as the original but in an American context.
Fessenden's selection also continues del Toro's predisposition toward mentoring up-and-comers or those on the fringe, as he did with Bayona and is doing with Andres Muschietti with "Mama," set up at Universal.
i really dont care. i thought the origianl was just okay. i dnt really like the fantasy-horror genre. but if this looks good and a decent cast, i MIGHT watch it.
Didn't this movie just come to theaters like 2 years ago? Oh well, no point in bitching. we all know hollywood is collapsing, so whatever they can do to make a big buck in order to keep dishing out these pointless and stupid ass remakes in order to stay in business, is fine by me. A stripper strips to pay the bills, and a producer rips off classics to pay theirs. Fair enough.
agree... Its way too recent and too many americans know about its existence due to its many tv spots announcing its limited release, so they probably checked it out at least on dvd... too soon...
WENDIGO was really good and sad and creepy all in one. i think this guy could be a worthy director for this (although i'm with those who think the movie is PERFECT as it is and DOES NOT need a
remake).
Outstanding. Whilst I'm of the opinion that a remake is redundant, let's face it, it's also inevitable. Fessenden is for my money one of the best genre directors working today, the fact that he's also got Del Toro backing him says it all. The Orphanage is a very good film, but not the masterpiece some hail it as. But with these two working together we could be in for something a bit special.
I love the origional film but it only came out a few years ago, this is just another completely unnecessary remake that'll never have the effectiveness of the origional. Quarantine anyone...
In an era where Globalizing everything is major... It just seems odd to see remake after remake after remake, within a few years of release. Insomnia sucked several years ago. The Eye as well. The Ring was so so, though it made money and probably is most responsible for flooding the market with Asian Horror. But for the life of me, I've not seen one single remake that has been better than the original. None.
This is ridiculous to say the least. This movie just came out a few years back and it's already being remade? Believe it or not horror fans know how to read subtitles. Christ.
I don't care if it is a remake. The original was amazing. The lack of subtitles is going to hurt though, as it makes you concentrate harder on a movie. As long as they limit the dialogue and don't overact, I think this will be worthwhile. American movies, over the past 10 years or so, have too much dialogue, acting, overacting, etc. The basic, almost nonchalant, nature of the original makes it more real and sensitive. Casting is going to be the deciding factor for me. I'd like to see Radha Mitchell in this.
I thought the original had a haunting sense to it. I liked and didn't mind the subtitles. That scene with the old womans jaw hanging from her face gets me everytime freaky shit man.
Maybe the re-make will be a horror movie, I felt the original's downfall was that it turned into a fucking fantasy in the third act, and I hated the happy ending.
cool director, but again, why a remake? he doesn't need to be remaking stuff that's basically being remade so that the 'simple' people can watch the orphanage too. he should just go one where he's going not do a step back.
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