David F. Sandberg is getting ready to make his return to the horror genre. TheShazamdirector has been tapped to directThe Cullingfor Lionsgate. The studio acquired the script from writer Stephen Herman, with Sandberg now set to helm. The Swedish filmmaker is also set to produce alongside Lotta Losten via their recently launched Mangata production company.
This is a big get for Lionsgate asDavid F. Sandberghas proved to be a reliable hit-maker, particularly in the horror genre. Sandberg made his feature directorial debut with 2016’sLights Out, which was based on his popular short of the same name. It was a huge success, earning $148 million at the global box office, working against a budget of less than $5 million. Sandberg was then tapped to directThe Conjuringspin-offAnnabelle: Creation. It served as a vast improvement over the previousAnnabellemovie, taking in a whopping $306 million. Sandberg, taking to Twitter, had this to say about his latest project.
“Love this script by Stephen Herman and its take onhow demons work.”
The Cullingreportedly centers on a troubled priest who confines himself to a remote cabin in the woods. Once there, he attempts to make a final stand against a demon that terrorized his family when he was a child. David F. Sandberg is alsoset to direct Shazam 2, as Warner Bros. was eager to keep him on board following the success of the first movie last year, which earned $365 million at the box office against strong reviews from critics and audiences alike in a much-needed win for the DCEU. On Twitter, responding to a fan, confirmed that the superhero sequel is still set to be his next directorial effort.
“Shazam 2 is the next thing I’m directing (pending the continued existence of the world)”
With that in mind, it could be a little while before we see thisnew horror flick come to fruition. Originally,Shazam 2was set to begin filming this year, with Zachary Levi on board to return as the DC hero. The ongoing production shutdown in Hollywood, however, has made it so that filming will likely be delayed. The movie is currently set to arrive on June 02, 2025, which means Sandberg will be tied up for roughly two years. That means, at earliest, we shouldn’t expect to seeThe Cullingarrive until sometime in 2023.
Aaron Janus and Aaron Edmonds are set to oversee the project for Lionsgate. Chris Bender and Jake Weiner are also producing the movie on behalf of Good Fear. Scott Stoops is set as an executive producer. David F. Sandberg, meanwhile, has stayed busy during quarantine, producing two horror shorts,ShadowedandNot Alone In Here. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. This news comes to us viaDeadline.
