Authentic The Blair Witch Mission star Joshua Leonard isn’t comfortable that the studios are profiting off of the 1999 indie blockbuster.
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The Blair Witch Mission was a film that ought to have been left alone. However such insanely profitable movies not often are, with the ultra-indie film occurring to spawn every little thing from inevitable sequels to tie-in comedian books to, sure, video video games. Add to that now a “reimagining” courtesy of Blumhouse, which hasn’t precisely been a properly obtained thought from followers – or stars – of the 1999 horror blockbuster.
Joshua Leonard – one of many three stars of The Blair Witch Mission, together with Heather Donahue and Michael Williams – is now talking out in opposition to the deliberate film (a Lionsgate co-production), notably because it pertains to how the unique forged is handled. Linking to a chunk in Selection in regards to the Blumhouse enterprise, Leonard wrote, partly: “The WEIRD PART [about his likeness being used in the press] is that I didn’t know something about it till a pal despatched me a ‘congrats’ screenshot yesterday. My frustration is compounded b/c I’ve been making an attempt to get @lionsgate to have interaction for over a month a couple of BWP charity screening I’m placing collectively for @opositivefest to lift cash for artists with out healthcare, and NO ONE will get again to me.” He added that “it’s 25 years of disrespect from the parents who’ve pocketed the lion’s share (pun supposed) of the earnings from OUR work, and that feels each icky and classless.”
It needs to be famous that Leonard has subsequently heard again from Lionsgate for the reason that ordeal began gaining traction, however the actor just isn’t able to go down with out making his level. Previous to this, Leonard would go on to rattle off a number of examples of how the studio has ensured that he and his co-stars usually are not being financially compensated for The Blair Witch Mission, which had an authentic price range of not more than $60,000 however would absorb practically $250 million worldwide, making it one of the worthwhile movies ever. Nonetheless, he doesn’t assume that even when he wished to pursue authorized motion that he would stand an opportunity. On the similar time, Leonard additionally maintains that his place isn’t about cash however moderately “human decency”, saying extra respect needs to be given to “the craftspeople off who’s backs companies make their earnings.”
As this new Blair Witch film strikes ahead from Blumhouse and Lionsgate, they could discover Leonard constructing help for his case, one thing we’re already seeing. And going off of his phrases, he may have a case right here in his try and not solely rise up for the unique The Blair Witch Mission forged – who has had earlier authorized battles concerning how their likenesses have been utilized in subsequent films – however some other creatives who’ve discovered themselves in such a scenario.
What do you make of Joshua Leonard’s assertion in regards to the forthcoming The Blair Witch Mission film? What tasks do the studios maintain by way of compensation?