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Larry Fessenden Directing New Line's Remake of The Orphanage

by Alex Billington
August 5, 2009

This guy does everything - act, write, edit, produce, and direct. Larry Fessenden has signed on to direct New Line's remake of The Orphanage, the highly praised 2007 Spanish thriller produced by Guillermo del Toro. Fessenden previously directed the horror film Wendigo and the thriller The Last Winter. Del Toro and Fessenden know each other from the horror circuit, with del Toro's admiration of his work leading him to handpick him. Del Toro saw in him a filmmaker who understood the conventions of the horror genre and could develop a movie that would be as scary and disturbing as the original but in an American context.

For those who didn't see it, The Orphanage, directed by del Toro protege Juan Antonio Bayona, was about a woman who, upon returning to the orphanage where she grew up, discovers that her son's imaginary friend is the same person who terrorized her when she was a child. Del Toro is mentoring Fessenden just as he did Bayona and other filmmakers like Troy Nixey. I haven't any of the films Fessenden's directed, but he seems like he could be a great choice, especially considering I trust (nearly) every decision that Guillermo makes. Fessenden is currently searching for a lead actress. We'll keep you updated on the status of this remake!

That photo at the top is of Larry Fessenden about to get his head chopped off in the indie I Sell the Dead.

Explore tags: Movie News, Opinions

bltzie

Come on! American context my ass! that's why subtitles are for... Stop milking and sucking on great movies tits!
Leon

I agree... They haven't learned anything from Quarentine... STOP REMAKING GREAT SPANISH FLICKS MORONS. Jesus, this film just came out and it's already being remade. Sad to see how Hollywood is dying for ideas.
Sabes

Apparently Americans don't know how to read subtitles. Stop remaking stuff and get some new ideas Hollywood, seriously. :\ How hard is it to come up with new stuff? Basic concepts have been done, but there has to be some sort of originality out there.
jules

man i can't wait to see i sell the dead
nelson

it will be just like quarantine a step by step exactly like the original but not as good hell the quarantine lead looked the same as the rec lead lol
Curtis G

What.......why...../sigh
virgil

american context?! lol. the film plays in an orphanage, not much knowledge about the spanish culture ist required to understand this movie. the movie is perfect as it is... :beat my head against the wall:
Terence

While I agree with all of you, there are quite a few people who are culturally ignorant and would only watch a movie in english. Actually, I'd say there are a great many. I don't think that it's THAT bad to remake it for american audiences. However, the original one will probably be better. I am optimistic because I've seen Windigo, and I think he could pull off some of the tension required. A few changes you might want to make. The antagonist in the movie, did not know the main character when she was in the orphanage, FYI.
virgil

@terence: if the american audience doesn't want to read subs, why don't they just dub the movie with english speaking actors instead of remaking it alltoghether? here in europe all foreign-language-mainstream-movies are shown a cinemas in dubbed version. i personally don't like dubbed movies and go whenever possible for de subed version, but think it is still better then remake every good foreign-language film.
Korm

It doesn't need a remake.
nelson

one of my favorite films of 07 it does not need a remake
Matty

This film was beautiful in its own. Dont go ahead and Americanize it, they will ruin it. The boy (simon) will probably be portrayed as some retard by some annoying little kid, and besides if you dont know the ending already then an American version will just be a waste of time. It would be if some Chinese director remade The Sixth Sense. We all know the outcome so why waste money on something that will end up the same, only in English.
Kevin

There is zero need for this movie to be made. What's next...Tim Burton directing the American version of Pan's Labyrinth?
LeoJRob

I can't agree more..!
d

no no no no!!