Cinedigm announced today that the Company will be partnering with horror heavyweight Tony DeRosa-Grund, creator of The Conjuring (over $2 billion in box office to date), to develop The Haunted, a new paranormal horror franchise based on verifiable actual events. While the story details are being kept under wraps, Cinedigm can confirm that The Haunted franchise starts with one family’s dark and terrifying real-life preternatural experiences which intersect with historical facts and legends surrounding a young pregnant woman accused by her own father of being a witch. That convergence places the family in impending mortal danger.
DeRosa-Grund, who previously wrote the original story for The Conjuring, named it, and created the “road map” for that franchise, aims to emulate that prior success by similarly building The Haunted universe through sequels, historical prequels, and spin-offs. The franchise’s initial focus will be on the real events experienced by a multi-generational family under siege from malevolent, and extremely violent, supernatural forces. The Haunted also focuses on its extremely rare circumstances which occurred when the living persons involved suffered significant, and repeated, real physical harm – even a death – from these dark forces that plagued them. The fact that these events could happen to anyone, combined with the “you can run but you can’t hide” aspect of the family’s very real plight, plumbs new depths of the horror genre.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Tony DeRosa-Grund, a modern master of the horror genre, on The Haunted franchise,” said Tom Owen, Managing Director of Cinedigm/Bloody Disgusting. “Based on the true-life events, these films will take audiences on a wild and terrifying journey into the world of the paranormal, unlike any other ever seen before in film. We are confident The Haunted, will set a new bar for horror movies and will absolutely resonate with horror enthusiasts, as well as every other audience quadrant.”
“Having created, produced and written the story for the original The Conjuring, I can say, with absolute clarity and certainty, that The Haunted is exponentially better, truer and more terrifying,” said DeRosa-Grund. “I am truly excited to be working with Tom and Brad [of Cinedigm/Bloody Disgusting] who “got it,” and embraced the project right from our very first pitch meeting. I want to also thank Cinedigm Chairman Chris McGurk, who not only backed my very first feature film, but also convinced me to come out of my retirement for this project.”
The deal was negotiated by Yolanda Macias, Chief Content Officer, on behalf of Cinedigm and Attorney Jonnathan O. Owens on behalf of Tony DeRosa-Grund. With DeRosa-Grund having now completed the script, Cinedigm and Bloody Disgusting will next look to attach a Director before going into production with DeRosa-Grund producing through the Nverse Pictures banner later this year.
