Danny and Michael Philippou, the breakout directors of last year’s box office horror hit “Talk to Me,” are re-teaming with A24 on their next horror film, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire. And this time they’re being paired with a two-time Oscar nominee.
Sally Hawkins will star in “Bring Her Back” from the Philippous, who are writing and directing the original movie for A24. Danny and Michael Philippou are also re-teaming with the producers on “Talk to Me,” Causeway Films’ Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton (“The Babadook”).
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Plot details are being kept under wraps for “Bring Her Back,” but the film will begin production later this summer.
This would not be the first time Hawkins has starred in a horror film. Way back in 2007 she appeared in “The Killing Gene” alongside Stellan Skarsgård, Tom Hardy, and Selma Blair. The closest she’s gotten to the genre otherwise was her Oscar-nominated work in Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” the dark fantasy film that won Best Picture in 2017.
Hawkins most recently starred in last year’s “Wonka.” Her other Oscar nomination is a supporting-actress nod from 2012 Woody Allen film “Blue Jasmine.”
Aussie twins the Philippous are also attached to direct a new adaptation of the Capcom video game franchise “Street Fighter,” which is being developed by Legendary Entertainment. But it sounds like they’ll sneak in “Bring Her Back” before that one gets off the ground.
“Talk to Me” was a wild success after A24 scooped it up out of the Sundance Film Festival. The movie grossed $92 million worldwide on a budget of just $4.5 million, making it easily the biggest box office hit out of the festival that year. Before that, Danny and Michael were YouTubers making viral short films. A24 has already ordered a sequel to “Talk to Me,” aptly titled “Talk 2 Me.”
A24 could be shopping “Bring Her Back” to international buyers at the upcoming Cannes Marché du Film, where they’ll also be shopping Ari Aster’s “Eddington” and Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine” starring Dwayne Johnson.
Deadline first reported the news about “Bring Her Back.”
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