Highlights
- Blumhouse’s new Blair Witch won’t capture the original’s magic due to lack of unique style and viral marketing impact.
- Previous sequels failed to tell an engaging story, making another film in the franchise unnecessary and uninspired.
- While a new Blair Witch movie may be intriguing, nothing will compare to the groundbreaking original from 1999.
In April 2024, Blumhouse announced a new Blair Witch movie, and it’s hard not to think that the film will miss what made the original movie so great. When The Blair Witch Project was released in 1999, it was a huge success that no one could stop talking about. Even now, several decades later, horror fans enjoy revisiting the unique and exciting circumstances of its release. Audiences walked away from the shocking ending of The Blair Witch Project unsure what to think, and the eerie setting, mysterious villain, and three college-aged main characters all contributed to a perfect movie.
According to People, Blumhouse and Lionsgate made a deal to take “horror classics from the Lionsgate library” and create new versions. While there are many great Blumhouse horror movies, there are a few reasons why the new Blair Witch Project won’t work.
Why Blumhouse’s Blair Witch Project Won’t Work
Blumhouse’s Blair Witch Project will be disappointing because it won’t include the elements that made the original movie so brilliant and thrilling. For one thing, the movie was told in a novel cinéma vérité style, which set it apart from corny ’90s horror movies that don’t hold up. Since it was filmed like a documentary, people weren’t sure if it was real. It was a unique and memorable movie-watching experience and it really seemed like Heather, Mike, and Joshua were under attack by a mysterious figure in the woods.
The Blair Witch Project used viral marketing to make audiences think it was a true story, which added to the terrifying atmosphere. It’s easy to imagine sitting in a movie theater and believing it was real. Since that has already been done and people are more savvy today thanks to social media, that experience can’t be replicated.
In an interview with Buzzfeed News, Michael C. Williams, one of the stars of The Blair Witch Project, said:
“So people definitely believed that the film was real. Even people that knew my family back then… I think we probably pissed a lot of people off. But imagine pissing people off when they find out you’re alive! They’re angry about that. That’s odd.”
There’s also the problem that while audiences didn’t know what to expect when watching the original, that isn’t the case now. People know that The Blair Witch Project, which was inspired by some real and scary elements, wasn’t actually a true story. A sequel can never replicate the genuine fear people felt watching the original.
How Many Blair Witch Movies Are There?
There have been three movies in the Blair Witch Project franchise. After the original was released in 1999, the 2000 sequel Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 was released, followed by the 2016 reboot Blair Witch. Considering that the horror movie already had two sequels that weren’t well-received, it doesn’t make sense to make yet another movie.
The storylines of these two sequels aren’t as fascinating as the first movie. In Book of Shadows, grad students investigate the legend of the Blair Witch monster. In Blair Witch, Heather’s brother James Donahue (James Allen McCune) wants to make a documentary about his sister who went missing. Sequels should tell an engaging story instead of just reaching old events or having new characters who are somewhat connected to the original ones, and neither Blair Witch sequel succeeded in telling a brand new and interesting story.
What Was The Critical Reception To The Blair Witch Project?
The critical response to The Blair Witch Project was mostly positive. The movie has an 86% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer based on 171 reviews and critics praised the found footage horror movie. Every element went over well, from the smart characters to the chilling atmosphere of the woods to the search for the Blair Witch, who is one of the scariest female villains in a horror movie.
Given the movie’s box office success and the countless positive reviews, it’s logical that there is still a lot of interest in making a new Blair Witch movie. It’s impossible to ignore the legacy it left on the horror genre. As Jason Blum said, according to People:
“I’m a huge admirer of
The Blair Witch Project
, which brought the idea of found-footage horror to mainstream audiences and became a true cultural phenomenon. I don’t think there would have been a
Paranormal Activity
had there not first been a
Blair Witch
, so this feels like a truly special opportunity and I’m excited to see where it leads.”
However, horror fans can simply rewatch the original Blair Witch Project and marvel over its clever filmmaking style and hype surrounding its release. Although Blumhouse has created many memorable horror villains and makes impressive movies every year, nothing will compare to the Blair Witch Project from 1999. While horror fans might enjoy checking out the new movie and seeing what it’s like, they will likely prefer the original.
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