A few years back, it was reported that Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, The Neon Demon) was preparing a remake of historical horror drama Witchfinder General, and the film now has a director. Deadline reports out of Cannes that John Hillcoat (The Road, Lawless) is on board to direct with Refn producing.
"The filmmakers are out to cast with a start eyed later this year," the site notes.
In the 1968 Michael Reeves-directed original, which starred the late great Vincent Price, a young soldier seeks to put an end to the evils caused by a vicious witch hunter. "I am excited to work with fellow filmmaker Nic Refn, a maverick auteur and who, together with Rupert Preston, have been fully committed to independent cinema over the years. I’m drawn to the dynamic departures behind this remake," Hillcoat said in a statement. "The idea of a world pushed to extremes where fear preys upon all, unleashing religious fanaticism, rival factions, tribalism, heretics, and witch hunts… feels strangely familiar in today’s world." The script is written by Jon Croker (The Woman In Black 2) Refn and Rupert Preston, through their new production ventures Bynwr.com and Sunrise Films, together with Hillcoat’s Blank Films, are producing.