Eli Roth's GREEN INFERNO and its greenlit sequel

Eli Roth, the director of CABIN FEVER and the 2 HOSTEL movies, hasnt directed a movie in a while, but he has been producing such films as THE LAST EXORCISM movies. Now he's back with the movie GREEN INFERNO which centers its story on a group of student activists who travel from New York City to the Amazon to save a dying tribe, but crash in the jungle and are taken hostage by the very natives they protected. While Green Inferno just had its world premiere as part of the Midnight Madness lineup at the Toronto International Film Festival, and while it is yet to be released in mainstream cinemas, a sequel is already being planned. It looks like the studio has much faith in the project; we wonder if this is indeed a movie that audiences will positively respond to. This movie seems to tap on the classic horror theme of cannibals as was popularized in the 80's movie CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. [hit the jump to continue]

The film's studio Worldview Entertainment and Eli Roth have extended their partnership with Worldview signing on to finance and produce the sequel to their 2013 Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness selection, “The Green Inferno.” Nicolas Lopez (“Aftershock”) will direct while Roth will present and produce the film from an original screenplay by Roth, Guillermo Amoedo and Lopez. Worldview CEO, Christopher Woodrow, and COO, Molly Conners, will produce alongside Lopez and Miguel Asensio Llamas of Sobras International Pictures. Maria Cestone and Sarah E. Johnson will executive produce for Worldview.

Plot details are being kept heavily under wraps. CAA arranged financing for the film and is representing domestic rights. Principal photography will commence next spring in Chile and Peru.

“We had a fantastic experience working with Eli and the Sobras team on ‘The Green Inferno’ and we are looking forward to the next installment of this franchise coming off its world premiere here in Toronto,” said Worldview COO, Molly Conners.

“Filming deep in the Amazon was a fascinating, life-changing experience, and we quickly learned there’s an entire world of stories, legends, myths and monsters in that jungle. It’s endless. Living in isolation we saw first hand just how far and deep we could take the world of ‘The Green Inferno.’ I’m thrilled to hand the directing reins to Nicolas Lopez, who has been a key part of my creative team from the beginning of this project and I know will make an incredible film. We don’t want to give away any plot secrets, only that we want to take the story to an even darker and scarier place on all levels. Shooting begins when the rainy season ends and it’s safe enough for us to return with another ‘adventurous’ filmmaking team. We’re thrilled to produce the film with Worldview Entertainment, who has been an incredible, supportive partner right from the start,” said horror master, Eli Roth.

“After writing and scouting all over Peru we realized that that ‘The Green Inferno’ had an expansive universe and that we would love to visit it again and go deeper into the jungle. Our plan with ‘Beyond the Green Inferno’ is to make a sequel in the tradition of ‘Aliens,’ where the creative team went bigger, darker and scarier into the unknown. Eli has been an amazing creative collaborator and has set the groundwork for an entire universe of stories we’re both incredibly excited to tell,” said director, Nicolas Lopez.

Worldview has six films premiering at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival: Academy Award nominee Atom Egoyan’s crime thriller, “Devil’s Knot,” starring Academy Award winners Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon will make its world premiere as a Special Presentation; Eli Roth’s highly anticipated return to directing with the horror thriller, “The Green Inferno,” will make its world premiere in the Midnight Madness section; David Gordon Green’s drama, “Joe,” starring Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan will make its North American premiere as a Special Presentation following its world premiere at the 2013 Venice Film Festival; Ti West’s thriller, “The Sacrament,” presented and produced by Roth will make its North American premiere in the Vanguard Section following its world premiere at the 2013 Venice Film Festival; Guillaume Canet’s crime thriller, “Blood Ties,” starring Academy Award nominee Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana and Academy Award nominee James Caan will make its North American premiere as a Gala Presentation after making its world premiere at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival; and Jehane Noujaim’s Egyptian revolution documentary, “The Square.”

Worldview’s impressive 2013 slate includes two studio co-financing deals: Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu’s comedy, “Birdman,” with Fox Searchlight and New Regency, starring Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis and Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, which completed filming this spring; and Daniel Espinosa’s crime thriller, “Child 44,” with Summit/Lionsgate, starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman, Joel Kinnaman, Vincent Cassel and Jason Clarke, which is currently filming in Prague. This summer the company wrapped production on Kate Barker Froyland’s drama, “Song One” starring Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway; and Zach Braff’s drama, ‘Wish I Was Here,” starring Braff and Academy Award nominee Kate Hudson. Worldview is re-teaming with David Gordon Green this fall on the drama “Manglehorn,” starring Academy Award winners Al Pacino and Holly Hunter.