After getting to write-up a piece on the next project of one favorite “new” genre directors, I seem to have lucked out and scored another. Neil Marshall is four for four in my book and I have absolutely no reason to believe that he won’t knock his next project out of the park as well. What will that film be though? While he managed to score himself a nice gig doing an episode for the second season of Game of Thrones (which he is currently in post on “Blackwater”), Marshall has had a bit of trouble lining up theatrical work.* Luckily for us, it seems someone in Hollywoodland has wised up and is trying to hire the man.
CBS Films has entered early talks with Marshall to helm their slasher film, Hellfest. The project revolves around “a costumed killer who systematically slaughters the unsuspecting visitors who come to a theme park on Halloween night.” The script comes from William Penick & Chris Sey and the legendary Gale Anne Hurd is producing the flick. If all goes as planned, Marshall should begin filming on the production this coming summer. Also, shock(!), CBS Films is hoping Hellfest will be a franchise launcher.
Marshall has previously nailed werewolves, CHUD-types, post-apocalyptic action, and sword-and-sandal territory. I see no reason why he won’t do the same here and gift us with a brand new iconic psycho-killer. Color me fucking stoked!
Source | Deadline
* – Poor Neil has announced multiple projects over the past few years that have yet to come to fruition: Underground, Burst, Sacrilege, Outpost, Eagle’s Nest, The Sword and the Fury, etc. Why? Probably because virtually all of them are original scripts. On top of that, the man has been turned away from established studio properties (Predators, Conan the Barbarian, The Wolverine, Dune, etc.). Damn you, Hollywood!!! Lucky for us, the man NEVER gives up on his original scripts. Doomsday and Centurion were sitting around for years before he managed to score deals for them.