Heather Donahue, the lead actress in the 1999 found-footage horror film "The Blair Witch Project," has publicly stated she will not be involved in the upcoming remake.
Donahue, 51, addressed what she called "willful confusion" regarding her participation after horror producer James Wan indicated that "all the original people that were involved in the original Blair Witch" were on board for the new project. "I want to clarify that I am not participating," Donahue wrote on Facebook. "I was offered an agreement that, for me personally, raised difficult long-term questions about rights, future technological use of identity and voice, the ability to speak freely, and compensation. Ultimately, it just wasn't something I felt comfortable signing."
She added, "I genuinely wish everyone involved well. But preserving my autonomy mattered more to me."
"The Blair Witch Project," made on a budget of $60,000, became a cultural phenomenon, grossing nearly $250 million worldwide. The film followed the disappearance of three student filmmakers in the woods while they were supposedly documenting the legend of the Blair Witch. Its innovative viral marketing campaign, which heavily utilized the internet, was instrumental in its success. The film was followed by a sequel in 2000 and a subsequent installment in 2016.
The new "Blair Witch" remake, announced by Lionsgate and Blumhouse, is slated for release on September 24, 2027, and is described as a "new vision" for the franchise intended to "reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation." Dylan Clark is set to direct. Notably, the original film's creators, Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick, along with original cast members Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams, are attached as executive producers for the remake, leaving Donahue as the only principal figure from the original not participating.
Following her fame from "The Blair Witch Project," for which she and her co-stars sued distributor Artisan Entertainment and eventually received around $300,000 each after initially being paid $1,000, Donahue largely left Hollywood. She later became a medical marijuana grower in Freedom, Maine, a town with a population of less than 800. She is now sober, practices Buddhism, and has authored a memoir about her experiences titled "Growgirl: The Blossoming of an Unlikely Outlaw."
Jason Blum, producer at Blumhouse, expressed gratitude to Lionsgate for the opportunity to work on the "Blair Witch" franchise, acknowledging its significant impact on the horror genre. This remake is the first in a planned multi-picture agreement between Blumhouse and Lionsgate to reimagine classic horror films.