‘Blair Witch’ Original Cast Call for Residuals, Creative Input From Lionsgate

The 3 celebrities of “The Blair Witch Project” have actually launched a declaration calling Lionsgate to spend all of them retroactive residuals and also permit all of them to give creative input on the center’s upcoming reboot of the scary standard.

In the declaration composed through Louise Donahue, Joshua Leonard and also Michael Williams, the triad gets in touch with Lionsgate to give retroactive and also potential residuals for their service the movie, together with “meaningful consultation” on any kind of future “Blair Witch” movies or even creative jobs and also a yearly $60,000 give to become provided a producer for their initial main attraction.

“As the insiders who created the ‘Blair Witch’ and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far unutilized secret-weapon!” the declaration reads through.

Discharged in 1999 through Professional Home entertainment– a supplier obtained through Lionsgate in 2003– “The Blair Witch Project” was actually generated on a budget plan of lower than $1 thousand and also took place to earn $248 thousand at package workplace, turning into one of one of the most effective individually generated movies ever before created. A part two was actually generated in 2000 together with a remake in 2016 without the input of the original supervisors or even cast, however each movies were actually vital and also industrial disasters.

Donahue, Leonard, and also Williams, that utilized their very own given names in the film, superstar as a triad of university student that go out to the hardwoods of Maryland to generate a film regarding a legendary body called the Blair Sorcerer. The triad wind up missing out on, and also the video footage discovered on the electronic camera they left functions as the account of the movie.

“Blair Witch Project” supervisors Daniel Myrick and also Eduardo Sanchez launched their very own declaration on behalf of the cast’s asks for that was actually co-signed through developers Gregg Gap, Robin Cowie and also Michael Monello.

“While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast – Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams,” their declaration reviewed. “As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to ‘The Blair Witch Project.’ Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.”

As kept in mind in the declaration, the cast performed certainly not however possess SAG-AFTRA subscription when they fired the movie, and also hence were actually certainly not qualified for recurring repayments for their job. The triad inquired Lionsgate for residuals “equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.”

The cast likewise inquired to possess creative input on any kind of future “Blair Witch” job “in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”

Given That Lionsgate declared at CinemaCon that it will discharge a Blumhouse-produced reboot of “Blair Witch,” Leonard and also various other creatives have actually opened on their knowledge along with the internet protocol because it ended up being a popular culture experience. Joshua Leonard took note on Facebook that after the movie’s launch, Professional merely spent each of the cast participants $300,000– merely good enough for Mike Williams to pay his pupil lendings while leaving him embeded a home furniture work– and also the cast must file a claim against Professional to succeed command over their very own labels after the representative professed copyright over the movie.

“I’m so proud of our little punk-rock movie, and I LOVE the fans who keep the flames burning. But at this point, it’s 25 years of disrespect from the folks who’ve pocketed the lion’s share (pun intended) of the profits from OUR work, and that feels both icky and classless,” he created.

On Sunday, tabletop activity developer Will certainly Rogers took note on social networking sites that when he was actually tapped the services of to create an activity based upon “Blair Witch,” he was actually called for to merely utilize the account from a 2019 computer game based upon “Blair Witch,” certainly not the original movie, partially as a result of the Professional case submitted due to the cast years prior.

“No Heather, Mike, and Josh. We couldn’t even reference the event of students going into the woods. I’m proud of the world we built but it’s a shame that this franchise full of deep lore always has to start from zero,” Rogers created. “I want this franchise to be healthy, scary, and HAPPY. It’s not about ripping Lionsgate, it’s about asking them to do the right thing, so that EVERYONE benefits. Make the crew whole. Put the franchise back in their hands.”

The complete declaration, initial uploaded on Facebook, may be read through listed below:

OUR ASKS OF LIONSGATE (From Louise, Michael & & Josh, celebrities of The Blair Sorcerer Task):

1. Retroactive + potential recurring repayments to Louise, Michael and also Josh for behaving companies delivered in the original BWP, comparable to the amount that will possess been actually set aside with SAG-AFTRA, possessed our team possessed effective union or even lawful portrayal when the movie was actually brought in.

2. Relevant appointment on any kind of potential Blair Sorcerer reboot, part two, innovator, plaything, activity, trip, breaking away space, and so on., through which one can sensibly presume that Louise, Michael & & Josh’s labels and/or similarities are going to be actually linked for marketing objectives in everyone realm.

Details: Our movie has actually right now been actually restarted two times, each opportunities were actually a frustration from a fan/box office/critical standpoint. Neither of these movies were actually created along with substantial creative input from the original group. As the experts that generated the Blair Sorcerer and also have actually been actually listening closely to what followers adore & & desire for 25 years, our team’re your singular ultimate, but thus-far unutilized secret-weapon!

3. “The Blair Witch Grant”: A 60k give (the budget plan of our original film), shelled out annually through Lionsgate, to an unknown/aspiring category producer to help in creating their initial main attraction. This is actually a GIVE, certainly not a growth fund, consequently Lionsgate are going to certainly not possess some of the rooting civil liberties to the job.