Blumhouse and Universal have tapped Scott Derrickson to helm a new film project.
Derrickson will direct an adaptation of Joe Hill's short story "The Black Phone," and will write the script with his frequent collaborator C. Robert Cargill. Derrickson and Cargill will also produce the film with Hill and Jason Blum. Mason Thames (For All Mankind) and Madeleine McGraw (Toy Story 4) have been cast.
Derrickson has written and directed several horror films, including Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. He also directed Doctor Strange for Marvel Studios, which featured Benedict Cumberbatch as the Master of the Mystic Arts. Derrickson was set to direct the sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but departed due to creative differences. Sam Raimi has taken over directing duties, with Derrickson still attached to the film as an executive producer.
The announcement comes as part of Blumhouse's upcoming slate of horror films. The announcements include Insidious 5, which will be directed by Patrick Wilson. Prolific screenwriter John Ridley will also write and direct a film based on the "Project Poltergeist" article from Truly*Adventerous.
Details about the film remain scarce. Hill's short story follows the journey of a young boy who has been kidnapped and locked away in a basement, where the only object other than him is a non-functioning black telephone. One day, the phone suddenly starts ringing and that's where the story begins.
Derrickson's upcoming projects include the action-adventure film Bermuda starring Chris Evans and a remake of Jim Henson's cult classic Labyrinth.