Project News

Juli 01, 2000:
  Sorry for the lack of updates but there isn't much news on the BW movie at this moment, but I did find some new Blair Witch game previews and screens.  Here's a list:

- a Blair Witch Project games preview at FGN Online
- a first look on the BW games over at 3DActionPlanet
- a Blair Witch Project Vol. 1: Rustin Parr game preview at GA-Source
- Blair Witch Vol. 1 Rustin Parr screenshots at the Avault
- more Blair Witch Vol. 1 screenshots and details at the Avault
- also new screenshots of BW Volume 1 at the Israeli website Vgames
- even more BW Volume 1 screenshots over at GA-Source

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June 10, 2000:
  Access Hollywood aired the first glimpse of the theatrical teaser trailer for the upcoming sequel to The Blair Witch Project. The trailer is now available on the Web here. It's just the beginning of a Summer marketing blitzkrieg for this horror sequel.  Thanks to IGN FilmForce.  They also posted a shot-by-shot breakdown of the Trailer.  Click here to read it.

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June 08, 2000:
  Tonight, Access Hollywood is supposed to run the trailer for Blair Witch 2 and reveal the name of the film, which we already know is Book of Shadows.  Thanks to Jeff for the news.

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June 06, 2000:
  News from the Blair Witch movie is very rare at this moment but news and screenshots from the games are everywhere!  Here are some new links:

BW Project 1: Rustin Parr article - The Spookhouse
Blair Witch Project Volume 1 screens - Vgames

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June 04, 2000:
  I am sorry for the lack of updates but our server was down.  To make this good, here comes a list of Blair Witch Project Games previews and screenshot pages:

BW Volume 1: Rustin Parr
BW Volume 2: The Legend of Coffin Rock
Blair Witch Projects (1-3) - 3D Portal
Blair Witch Project Volume 1: Rustin Parr - Daily Radar

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May 14, 2000:
  I have some news of the Blair Witch games. 
GameSpot posted a preview of the upcoming Blair Witch Project 3 part series. Each game in the series will use the Nocturne engine. The first game will be developed by Terminal Reality, the second game will be developed by Human Head, and the last part of the trilogy will be developed by Ritual Entertainment.  Read the preview for more great info.
 
And Avault has put up 9 new screenshots from the upcoming BW trilogy games.  They are great, and spooky!

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May 06, 2000:
  BW2 might be finished filming early on sunday (tomorrow), at least that's what they are hoping.  It should be the final filming and then they will be going right to editing.   They are planning to film interviews of Burkittsvile residents.

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May 03, 2000:
  I have received some more info on the ET special behind the scene look at BW2 from an Insider.  He said that the behind the scene look you all saw is fake.  Here's what he wrote:

  Yet again another fast one has been played on the public.  When the Blair Witch Project came out we were only treated to a a brief preview which revealed nothing at all, and the web-site just brought up more questions.  So what makes you think that what you were shown on ET was real?  Well guess what?  It wasn't.  Part of the magic and mystery behind the film is to blow your mind when you actually see the film.  Well your mind will be blown when you realize what was shown on ET was a hoax.  Those actors/actresses aren't even main characters in the movie, and the bits and pieces of the scene you saw aren't even real.  They  all actually play people on the street who are interviewed in the first film.  That scene is just there to throw the public off to what the film is really about. Imagine how confused people will be when they go see the film and those people aren't even main characters, let alone part of the film really.
  What you see when you see the film will be nothing the previews show you.   They all all false facades. So pay no attention to those ads.

  Interested in some comic books on the Blair Witch Project?  Click here for more onfo on 3 new Blair Witch 'Chronicles' comic books that are now in stores.

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April 28, 2000:
  Last night Entertainment Tonight aired a special behind the scene look at the sequel. The two minute segment included interviews with the crew and showed some scenes from the film. Cinemenium Staff was able to digitize this clip and have uploaded for you to download. Below is the link with two mirrors. If you can give us more mirrors please e-mail the mirrors to Jawad at jawad@spielberg-dreamworks.com. A huge thanks goes to our Multimedia Expert, 'Kevin Clouser
' and Subzero.org & EverythingCelebrity for hosting it.


ET Behind the Scene Footage (10. 3 MB MPG)
Thanks to Subzero.org
ET Behind the Scene Footage (Mirror 1)
Thanks to Subzero.org
ET Behind the Scene Footage (Mirror 2)

Thanks to everythingcelebrity.com



March 11, 2000:
  Or spy visited a set of the upcoming BW2 movie and came back with some info.   Here's the report:

"The guard  told that they wont start filming here for another week or so but they started this week somewhere down on the eastern shore.  So far they have built a fake stone house foundation around a huge spooky tree.  They are digging for a second foundation about 50 yards away."

More info plus some screens of the set might come soon.

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March 01, 2000:
  The budget of Blair Witch 2 is said to have been increased from the previously reported $10M to $18M.  According to Popcorn, the Screen International magazine managed to get info on the film’s story that was provided to prospective buyers of the project. If true, what is reported is a
spoiler. If you would rather not know, then don't allow your eyes to stray below, just move on by using a link to the right.

Still there? You have been warned!

The magazine reports that at least one part of the story will focus on a group of teenagers who become intrigued by the first film’s story after checking out the original website. They then decide to seek out the witch themselves only to be killed. Unlike the first film, though, their deaths are said to be planned to happen on screen.

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February 23, 2000:
  Shooting on the sequel to the ultra low-budget horror hit "The Blair Witch Project" has, for lack of a better pun, been spooked. Rumors said that shooting had to begin today, though now its been revealed the actual date is at least three weeks away. Location scouting is just finished with casting still ongoing on the $7-10 million budget project, though Artisian is already coming up with ways on making a profit. According to UK mag Heat, the studio recently sent out a letter offering product placement spots along with the news the famous logo brand will appear on all sorts of licensed merchandising tie-ins including computer games & accessories, jewelry, comic books, clothes, trading cards, stationery and action figures.

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February 18, 2000:
Artisan is staying mum on who wrote it, but more details of the current status and eventual production of the sequel to The Blair Witch Project are turning up.
  The bad news, which really isn't all that bad, is that the start of production on the film has been pushed back three weeks because casting hasn't been completed as yet. While talking to the Hollywood Reporter, Artisan spokesperson, Paul Pflug revealed, "That date has always been contingent on casting." Pflug also added that in spite of the recent stormy town meeting in Burkittsville, MD, "We're finishing location scouting."
  Meanwhile, there's some word on the film's script. Though Artisan is staying mum on who won their script writing competition (if anyone has as yet), the studio has hired another scribe to do a polish on the it when it's finished. According to Variety, writer Jon Bodenkamp has been tapped to do the final production polish.
  Still, it may be that the script isn't actually the work of just one rwiter with word from Artisan's Amir Malin back in January revealing that the competition involved going "down various roads with various writers." While he also will not name who got the gig to write the script, Malin did reveal that the second film's storyline will be "basically a compilation."

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February 16, 2000
 
Though they’re likely to work around it, odds are that the makers of Blair Witch 2 will not be allowed to shoot any additional footage in the town of Burkittsville, MD. According to MSNBC and the AP, recent town meeting held along with the second film’s makers, including helmer Joe Berlinger, did not go at all well.
  Berlinger was there hoping to get permission to shoot some footage in the town where part of the first film was shot and was subsequently plagued by overzealous Blair Witch Project fans who apparently didn’t know it was a fictional piece. Among the indiscretions performed by these fans were vandalism of tombstones at the local cemetery as well as city property stolen by souvenir seekers. The helmer said he was only looking to shoot for the beginning of the second film, and told the assembly, "We want to make it a positive thing," To say the least, his request was not well received.
  The appeals made by Berlinger and others involved are said to have often been interrupted by local citizens participating in the meeting. Perhaps the strongest negative reaction to the request to film there was made by a former councilman, Sam Brown, who is said to have shouted out, "We've already been raped. Now they want us to be prostitutes."
  When the interruptions continued and the filmmakers saw that no progress would be made, they exited. Given that much of the first film was not shot in the small town, it’s likely that a stand in will be used for Burkittsville in further films.

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January 11, 2000:
  Maybe a final script hasn't been determined yet, but the characters who will be in the second Blair Witch film seem to be etched in stone with recent word that a casting call for the film has been put out. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the casting call for the film, which is scheduled to start production on February 23 on the East Coast, is looking for five lead characters that must also be "unrecognizable talent."
  Artisan is looking for three women and two men ages 19-early 20s. The characters break down as follows:

"Nick Leavitt" and "Anna Casio": Seniors at Boston College who also live together.
"Heather Arendt": A native Chicagoan. Her philosophy in life is "when in doubt indulge."
"Cotter Kaller": Described as an immature blue collar type and state college student.
"Domini Von Teer": Vaguely Goth type who favors wearing black and is described as "an enigma."

  The trade reports that Artisan is not commenting on the casting call sheet and reminded the paper that they still haven’t settled on a writer and his/her specific finished script as yet. If a script has not been chosen, then it seems that each of the writers competing for Blair Witch 2 may have also received additional input into what type of characters Artisan wanted to see in the eventual sequel given the specific nature of the characters in the casting call.

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January 4, 2000:
  A director has been selected to bring the sequel to last summer’s super successful The Blair Witch Project to the screen.
  According to a number of sources, documentary director Joe Berlinger (Brother's Keeper, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills) has been tapped to helm the sequel to last summer’s hit. In addition, casting of the film is currently underway with plans to launch production in six weeks, which is supports previous rumors reported in the Insider. Plans are to get the film in the can in time to hit theaters for Fall 2000.
  The budget for the second film will be in the $7-10M range and it will not be shot on video camera like the first feature.
  A final script for the film has yet to be approved from the pool of four writers said to be in competition for the second film. It has been previously reported that two of the writers participating include Jon Bokenkamp and Neal Marshall Stevens.
  In addition, the trades are also confirming previous statements made by Blair Witch Project directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez that the two will co-direct a third film in Artisan’s hoped for franchise which is planned as a prequel. Current plans call for the two to step into the third film project upon completion of their currently in production comedy Heart of Love. Myrick and Sanchez will write and produce the film as well as acting as consultants and executive producers for the series’ second installment.

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December 13, 1999:
  More details of what’s up with future Blair Witch movies has come to light, courtesy of the first film’s directors, Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick. According to Dark Horizons, the two helmers participated in a radio interview on Melbourne radio station 3RRR. When asked if they would be involved in the recently announced sequel, the directors revealed they would be acting as executive producers on the project, as well will be doing for any subsequent follow-ups. They also revealed that they will be writing and directing the third film, which will be a prequel. In the prequel, you’ll also finally see the witch which the directors revealed will be in "a different form."

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December 8, 1999:
  Given recent word of Artisan’s screenwriting competition for Blair Witch 2, it sure sounds like the film’s co-directors, Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, won’t be involved other than in a consulting status. Still, according to Variety, they appear to be open to the idea of coming back for a third film. While talking to the trade, Myrick revealed, "There’s definitely going to be a sequel, and we have a first-look deal with Artisan, who have prequel and sequel rights… We’re slated to do the third Blair Witch film if there is a third."

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November 22, 1999:
  In a follow-up to last week’s story reporting that Artisan had hired screenwriter Jon Bokencamp to write the sequel to The Blair Witch Project comes word that the scribe is not alone. In fact, there may be a competition as to who will write the films’ final script. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Artisan Entertainment has hired not just one, but four separate writers to craft their own takes on where the franchise should go next. The only additional writer named at this time is Neal Marshall Stevens.
  After all four writers have finished up their scripts and turned them into Artisan, there will be a selection of what the company feels is the best of the lot. The trade reports that doing so is not unusual given that high priority of the project and the company’s desire to make sure that a follow-up does not disappoint the millions who caught the first film and will seriously scrutinize a second effort. A Writers Guild spokesperson told the trade, "It happens periodically, especially on sequels that have a built-in audience or a sense of urgency (for its completion)." She also adds that the WGA doesn’t "think it's good for the product or for the writers."

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November 17, 1999:
  Word has it that Artisan is quietly moving forward on their had-to-happen sequel to last summer’s super-successful The Blair Witch Project… possibly minus the film’s creators. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Artisan has hired writer-director Jon Bokenkamp (Preston Tylk) to write a script for the potential sequel. In addition, the trade reports that Bokenkamp is expected to finish and turn in that script early next year. That time table would seem to suggest that Artisan is in earnest about getting the sequel rolling quickly, possibly even having it ready for a fall 2000 release.
  Still, in spite of this hiring, this obviously doesn’t prevent the original film’s directors, Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, from still being involved in the project. At the very least, one can’t imagine that they wouldn’t have input into Bokenkamp’s script. On the other hand, given that Haxan (which includes the film’s directors) is involved in a full plate of potential projects including the comedy feature Heart of Love as well as the new Fearsum TV series for the Fox TV network, their involvement in the project may ultimately only be as consultants. Time will tell.

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October 26, 1999:
Maybe, technically, it really shouldn’t be called Blair Witch 2 with word that just about everyone involved is thinking only of doing a prequel to last summer’s massive horror hit. While talking to the Toronto Sun, Haxan producer Robin Cowie confirmed previous stories that the Blair Witch creators didn’t want to do a direct sequel, saying, "At this moment, we are not involved. There's a possibility that Artisan Entertainment might do it. So stay tuned." Still, regarding a prequel, Cowie adds, "The idea of going back really excites us."

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October 21, 1999:
There may be another reason why the Blair Witch creators, Ed Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez are so resistant to doing a follow-up to their ultra-successful Blair Witch Project any time soon. While talking to the AP, Myrick revealed that due to his film’s success "[e]very producer in L.A. dusted off some old bad script and sent it to us, [b]ut we didn't want to be pigeonholed into doing horror." Myrick and Sanchez are currently at work on their oddball comedy, Heart of Love.

 

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