Whenever Glenn Close’s name appears, the project she is attached to is bound to be a big deal. It seems the eight-time Oscar nominee has found a great follow-up to 2021’s acclaimed Apple TV flick Swan Song. She has a Stranger Things star along for the ride instead of Mahershala Ali this time. But the real cherry on top is the huge sum of money Netflix shelled out to become the upcoming film’s distributor.
Deadline reported a source close to the streamer claimed it paid out $65 million to have Lee Daniels' untitled horror thriller be part of its original films lineup. Netflix was the victor in acquiring the rights as MGM and Miramax allegedly had their sights on the genre film as well. But the reported bidding war was worth it as the horror flick boasts an impressive cast of A-listers and rising stars. Along with Swan Song’s Glenn Close, the film will star Strange Things’ Caleb McLaughlin, Andra Day, Octavia Spencer, Rob Morgan and King Richard’s Aunjanue Ellis.
As with most of his projects, Daniels will direct and produce the thriller based on a script he rewrote. In addition to the United States vs. Billie Holiday filmmaker, Tucker Tooley and Pam Williams will produce the untitled film. Turn Left Productions’ Todd Crites and Jackson Nguyen will serve as producers with Greg Renker and Gregoire Gensollen attached as executive producers.
The exorcism thriller is inspired by coverage from the Indianapolis Star about Latoya Ammons, a single mother, and her three children living in a haunted house in Gary, IN. Multiple accounts from the local police, the area hospital, and the Department of Child Services backed up the mother’s claims. Of course, the film will have a fictional take on the story.
For the film adaptation, Andra Day will play the mother with Glenn Close playing her character’s mother. It will be Day and Lee Daniels’ second collaboration since her Oscar-nominated turn as jazz legend Billie Holiday in 2020’s The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Caleb McLaughlin is set to play one of Day’s children while Rob Morgan and Octavia Spencer portray the mother’s boyfriend and the clergy member who helps Day’s character deal with her haunted home, respectively. It is currently unknown what role Aunjanue Ellis will play in the film. So, all the elements are in place to make this potential horror classic.
The recount has been in the works since 2014 when the story first broke. Tucker Tooley has held onto the rights as Orphan: First Kill scribe Dave Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum wrote separate drafts before Daniels boarded the project. Now with Daniels at the helm, the film is heading from developmental hell into production.
The yet-titled film is expected to begin production around the middle of 2022. It is currently unknown when the exorcism thriller will premiere on Netflix. If you want to keep with any updates regarding the Netflix thriller, stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any new developments.
