One of the original stars from the “Blair Witch Project” is praising Lionsgate and Blumhouse for listening to the complains of the actors who made the first film but didn’t share in the profits after the movie became a smash hit…
Michael C. Williams — one of the stars of “The Blair Witch Project” — has revealed good news when it comes to the original cast finally getting some acknowledgement from the studio after the actors were largely cut out of the long term success of the original film, which was made for only $60,000 but ended up earning more than $248 million at the worldwide box office.
This past June, Williams and his co-stars Joshua Leonard and Heather Donahue joined together to shine a light on how they earned next to nothing when it came to profits made from the movie yet “The Blair Witch” franchise continued to churn out sequels long past their contribution to the original film. Despite the massive success of the original film, the three main actors, whose real names were used in the film and the subsequent marketing campaign, saw no real financial windfall from the movie.
They raised their concerns after it was announced that Lionsgate and Blumhouse were teaming up for a “Blair Witch” reimagining.
“I don’t need Lionsgate to like me,” Leonard told Variety. “I don’t care that they know that I think their behavior has been reprehensible. I don’t want my daughter to ever feel like anything is more valuable than her self-worth.”
While he didn’t reveal any details about the encounter with Lionsgate and Blumhouse, Williams took to Instagram to praise the companies for not only listening to the actors’ grievances but actually getting them involved with the franchise again as they prepare to make this new movie.
“This July marks the 26th anniversary of the release of The Blair Witch Project. Much has transpired over this past year and I wanted to share something with all of you,” Williams wrote on Instagram. “In a world where it increasingly seems as though no one listens to one another any longer, I’m beyond grateful to report that Lionsgate and Jason Blum (Blumhouse) actually did listen.
“While I won’t get into the details, I can say that after 26 years, I finally feel like a valued contributor to the world of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ (though, in fairness, you fans have always made me feel that way!) and I truly appreciate these folks hearing us out and coming to the table. They proved to be thoughtful and responsive to our concerns and it is important to me to acknowledge this with public gratitude and appreciation towards them.
“I’m most deeply grateful for my dear friend Joshua Leonard for his continued advocacy and assertiveness coupled with his own sensibility about what it means to listen. You’re a literal gem, brother … I am excited for what’s to come next in the Blair Witch universe. I’ve found the map and we’re definitely moving forward.”
Obviously, Williams couldn’t disclose exactly what happened but it sounds like Lionsgate and Blumhouse paid attention to the egregious treatment the original actors received after starring in “The Blair Witch Project” and now it appears they might have some sort of involvement in the upcoming reboot.
Leonard had previously revealed several months ago that the cast was scheduled to talk to Lionsgate and Blumhouse and it sounds like the studios actually listened.
There hasn’t been any meaningful update on “The Blair Witch Project” reboot but that news could be coming soon judging by Williams’ update on social media.
