Exclusive: The GRAVE ENCOUNTERS Reboot Will Be Really Scary
Grave Encounters was a decent hit against its miniscule budget when it first arrived in 2011. But its following has grown in the years since the found footage flick first hit theaters and now, it’s getting a reboot. Justin Long and Kate Bosworth are teaming up with original writer/directors Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz to bring Grave Encounters back from the dead. They have every intention of making it very scary. Don’t expect Long’s usual funny business here.
See also: Found Footage And The Alchemy of Minding Your Business
Fango’s own Angel Melanson spoke with Long and Bosworth during this year’s Fantastic Fest in honor of their new creature feature Coyotes. She asked them about their approach to the Grave Encounters reboot, wondering if they are going to try and inject any humor into the franchise. On the contrary, Long, Bosworth and Minihan have every intention of going as scary as possible.
“Grave Encounters I think we want to do really scary, like full-on,” Long teased. “I’m interested in doing a haunted thing that is really jolting. We thought that about the original but he wants to just kick it up.” Bosworth agreed.
The original film centers on a crew from a paranormal reality television show who lock themselves in a haunted psychiatric hospital. While searching for evidence of paranormal, they shoot what will become their final episode. Sort of. Grave Encounters 2 arrived in 2012. The franchise has been dormant since then. Speaking further, Long explained that they hope to stay true to the original while making use of better technology.
“The technology is better now, but still keep it true to what it was. There’s a purity to that. What’s around the corner? He does that with the camera so well. We were so struck by his skills as a storyteller. And it’s a simple story.”
“I feel like it’s a character that is made for you,” Bosworth then said to Long. “Colin was like, ‘Have you guys seen Grave Encounters?’ We’re like, ‘No, we hadn’t.’ We love What Keeps You Alive. It’s so well done…But he’s like, ‘Watch it, I wanna reboot it.’ And I was like oh, it’s such a perfect part for Justin.”
Minihan also directed Coyotes, so clearly that collaboration went well. Minihan is set to develop the reboot alongside Ortiz, with Shawn Angelski also on board to produce alongside Long and Bosworth. No release date has been set but production is expected to begin sometime next year. Stay tuned.
Coyotes is in theaters now. You can check out the full interview for yourself below.
