The Blair Witch Project original star Joshua Leonard slams Lionsgate over ’25 years of disrespect’ and lack of profits after reboot is announced

The Blair Witch Project star Joshua Leonard has slammed Lionsgate more than ’25 many years of disrespect’ soon after it was announced a reboot of the iconic 1999 movie is in the performs.

Leonard, 48, who used his authentic title in the found-footage horror movie, slammed Lionsgate on Instagram and accused the output corporation of disregarding his request for a charity screening of the movie.

He wrote: ‘GOING Community w/this and would take pleasure in the amplification!’ with screenshots of the information featuring his and his costars’ illustrations or photos.

‘So, this is MY deal with on a push release for a film becoming built by two key studios – both of those I have labored for, both of those I regard,’ he wrote. ‘The Unusual Portion is that I did not know something about it until eventually a good friend despatched me a “congrats” screenshot yesterday.

‘My stress is compounded b/c I’ve been trying to get @lionsgate to interact for more than a month about a BWP charity screening I’m placing together for @opositivefest to increase cash for artists without the need of healthcare, and NO One will get again to me.

‘And of course, I have been pondering a whole lot about this time, after observing my BWP collaborators recently and sharing memories… sweet AND f***ed-up types,’ added Leonard.

Penned and directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the motion picture adopted three college or university filmmakers (Leonard, Heather Donahue and Michael Williams) into the woods of Burkittsville, Maryland as they investigated the area fantasy of the titular witch.

As the film was 1st marketed as a correct tale about 3 little ones who went missing, its viral achievement led several to consider Leonard, Donahue, 49, and Williams, 50, experienced really died. 

Donahue even had to challenge a assertion to the New York Times that she was even now alive just after somebody marked her as deceased on IMDb, negatively impacting her vocation. 

Leonard went on to claim that following the movie’s first distributor Artisan boasted about owning ‘the most profitable independent film ever,’ they instructed the forged they ‘were in fact shedding cash from promoting costs… so WE could possibly wind up owing THEM $.’

The Blair Witch Venture produced $248 million all over the world on a $60,000 budget right after Artisan purchased the rights for fewer than $2 million.

And considering the fact that they made use of their true names in the film, Leonard wrote that ‘the studio claimed copyright,’ introducing: ‘We experienced to get them to federal court docket to get OUR NAMES back.’

Leonard stated that even though it was formerly reported that they had been compensated out $4 million bucks in the lawsuit, they only in fact obtained $300,000 ‘and Hardly ever saw yet another dime.’  

‘After obtaining a vehicle and spending off his university student loans, Mike was back again going home furniture within just 12 months of the launch, when however on journal addresses,’ he extra.  

‘There ended up many things that made BWP a results: timing, internet marketing, etcetera. But there was also the Actuality that us weirdos got with each other, with almost no resources, AND Created A Film THAT Worked! Can we just go on record and say that the movie itself is a substantial element of why we’re nonetheless chatting about it 25 a long time later on?’

Leonard ongoing, ‘I’m so proud of our minimal punk-rock movie, and I Love the admirers who preserve the flames burning. But at this level, it is 25 many years of disrespect from the people who’ve pocketed the lion’s share (pun intended) of the earnings from OUR do the job, and that feels both equally icky and classless.’

DailyMail.com has contacted Lionsgate for comment. 

Donahue, who has modified her title to Rei Hance given that earning the motion picture, shared the publish to her Instagram Tale in guidance.

Williams also shared to his tale, producing: ‘Y’all wanna see some s***? @thejoshualeonard @reihance really like you guys.’ 

Leonard’s publish comes immediately after Blumhouse producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, Halloween Ends, Five Nights at Freddy’s) introduced Wednesday at CinemaCon that he’s teaming up with Lionsgate for a ‘new generation’ of the Blair Witch.

‘I’m a massive admirer of The Blair Witch Challenge, which introduced the concept of observed footage horror to mainstream audiences and turned a real cultural phenomenon,’ he claimed.

‘I don’t think there would have been a Paranormal Action had there not initial been a Blair Witch,’ additional Blum, 55. ‘So, this feels like a definitely distinctive opportunity and I’m energized to see where it potential customers.’ 

It was followed by Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 in 2000 which gained negative testimonials from critics and grossed a globally complete of $47.7 million. 

In 2016  Blair Witch was produced which follows John, the brother of Heather Donahue.

He decides to head again to Burkittsville, even though this time the movie was truly shot in Canada in its place of Maryland, after exploring footage from the primary film.