Ever since the fall of last year, rising actress Sophia Lillis has become a bonafide Hollywood star. She famously portrayed the role of Losers' Club member Beverly Marsh in Andy Muschietti's horror film IT, which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. The movie quickly became one of the most profitable and popular horror movies of all time, obliterating box office records upon its premiere. Seeing money in the film's stars, producers are now casting them in prominent roles elsewhere. This has led to Lillis' casting in an upcoming horror movie retelling of the classic Hansel and Gretel fairy tale.
From Orion Pictures, Gretel and Hansel, which gets a title twist, has already begun shooting with Lillis in Dublin. She will be playing the titular role of Gretel, co-starring with Sammy Leakey as Hansel. The Blackcoat's Daughter director Osgood Perkins will be helming the film, using a screenplay co-written with Rob Hayes. Full details on the plot are not yet known, but it seems to be similar to the classic version of the story, but with a horror twist. According to an early synopsis, the story will feature Hansel and Gretel trekking through the dark forest in search of food and work. Of course, tragedy awaits the pair, as they come across a "nexus of terrifying evil" in the woods. Here is the official synopsis released by Orion Pictures.
A long time ago in a distant fairytale countryside, a young girl leads her little brother into a dark wood in desperate search of food and work, only to stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil.
This won't be the only unique movie version of Hansel and Gretel to hit the big screen. In 2013, writer and director Tommy Wirkola released an action horror comedy called Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. With Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the titular siblings, the film sees a grown-up version of the duo working as witch exterminators for hire. The film promises on what it delivers, and although it's just as crazy as it sounds, it's highly entertaining. Because the movie earned $226 million worldwide against a $50 million budget, Paramount has announced plans for a potential sequel in the form of either a feature film or a TV series.
As for Lillis, this movie will obviously not be the only major horror film we can expect to see the actress appear in. IT: Chapter Two, the highly-anticipated follow-up to the blockbusterStephen King adaptation, is set to be released on Sep. 6, 2019. Because it takes place 27 years past the events of the original, it will focus mostly on the members of the Losers' Club as adults. Jessica Chastain playing the grown-up Beverly Marsh, which is a casting choice fans seem to be happy with. However, Lillis and her co-stars from the first movie will still be shown in various flashback sequences.
Hansel and Gretel is a story that's been heard countless times over the past century. It's hard to say how well a new movie on the subject will do, especially since Witch Hunters was released just a handful of years ago. Hopefully, it will offer a unique take on the story, giving filmgoers a new experience when they go to see the movie. Plus, it obviously helps tremendously having a talent like Lillis in the cast. This news comes from Orion Pictures.
Topics: Gretel and Hansel
