By MICHAEL GINGOLD
New Orleans’ LaLaurie Mansion (pictured), called one of the most haunted places in the world, is getting its time on screen.
Faster Horse Pictures is teaming with Darren Lynn Bousman, director of several SAW movies including this year’s SPIRAL, and THE CONJURING scripters Chad and Carey Hayes on the first film in a new franchise built around the LaLaurie Mansion. The features will trace the history of the house and property, from recent frightening events to its original ownership by the crazed Madame Delphine LaLaurie. The Mansion, which attracts thousands of visitors a year, is owned by Michael Whalen, who is producing the movies with Cindy Bond, Doug McKay and the Hayes brothers–who wrote the screenplay in the house itself. Portions of the film will shoot there as well.
“Joining this project is a dream come true for me,” says Bousman. “For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with the paranormal. Anyone who studies the supernatural knows the legends and lore of the LaLaurie Mansion. It’s the holy grail of these types of environments. Recently I was allowed access to the house, and was able to stay there with the Hayes brothers. There is no way to articulate my 72 hours inside those walls. The house consumes you. Its history cripples you. The Hayes brothers have crafted such an emotional, suspenseful and scary narrative that I cannot wait to introduce the world to this unbelievable location.”
“Not only is Darren an incredibly creative director,” say the Hayes brothers, but he also knows how to build a franchise. We are beyond thrilled to have him on this one, and can’t wait to see what he brings to the screen.”
McKay says, “We couldn’t be more excited to bring together the forces behind two of the most successful horror franchises ever to shepherd what we see as the next great horror franchise. An unbelievable number of horrific true events have taken place in the house during the last 200 years, and it’s high time the victims of these crimes have their stories told.”
