Sam Raimi has found his next project after the $89M success of island survival thriller, Send Help. THR reports Raimi will direct Magic, Lionsgate’s modern remake of the 1978 psychological horror that starred a young Anthony Hopkins and was based on William Goldman’s novel.
The original film starred Hopkins as Corky, a failed magician who reinvents himself as a ventriloquist comedian, with a foul-mouthed doll named Fats by his side. However, just as Corky is about to land a TV show gig, he flees home to the Catskills because he doesn’t want the network to discover his extreme mental illness and the lack of control he has over Fats.
Raimi will direct Magic, although he was initially attached as a producer only. The film will have a script by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, known for Baywatch, Freddy vs. Jason, and the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot. Not a great track record, but it’s something, I suppose.
“Sam is the dream director for this project; in fact, his coming aboard represents one of the truly great matches of director and material,” said Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, in an official statement connected to the announcement. “The script is fantastic, and we could not be more excited to see Sam’s direction and creative vision take it to another level. We are absolutely thrilled he has chosen to direct the film.”
