Insidious 3 is Already being Planned

Entertainment One (eOne), FilmDistrict, and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) has announced that they will be developing the third chapter of the micro-budgeted INSIDIOUS film franchise which Leigh Whannell has signed on to write.  Whannell has written both INSIDIOUS and INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 which has just opened in local theaters this week, and just had a stellar first weekend release in North America debuting to more than $40 million at the box office making it one of the largest horror genre openings ever and one of the biggest openings for a film released in the month of September.  Jason Blum and his Blumhouse Productions, which produced both INSIDIOUS and INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, is producing the next installment along with Oren Peli.  Steven Schneider, Brian Kavanaugh Jones, Peter Schlessel, Lia Buman and Xavier Marchand are executive producing. [hit the jump to continue]

In a joint statement, Peter Schlessel, FilmDistrict’s CEO, Xavier Marchand, eOne’s President, Film Production, and Steven Bersch, President of SPWA, said, “The release of the first INSIDIOUS resonated with audiences around the world and quickly became one of the most talked about films in 2011. This weekend moviegoers in the US enjoyed the terrifying continuation of the first film and we are confident they will be excited to see the third chapter of the INSIDIOUS world. There is nobody better suited to bring audiences the next chapter of this haunting story than Leigh who has brilliantly written both INSIDIOUS and INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2.” But what the press release from the studios failed to mention is that James Wan wont be returning to helm the movie. Wan has already stated his intention to move away from the horror genre and try his hand at other kinds of films. He is currently filming Fast & Furious 7.

The first INSIDIOUS told the story of Josh and Renai Lambert and their son Dalton, confronting the demons that possess the young boy.  The project was picked up by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and distributed by FilmDistrict in the US.  eOne handles rights to the film in Canada, U.K. and Spain, and Sony handles rights in the rest of the world.  It was released on April 1, 2011, and has grossed $97 million worldwide.  With the picture’s reported $1.5 million budget, it has led to the film being called the most profitable film of 2011.

INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, the terrifying sequel, follows the haunted Lambert family as they seek to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world.  Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins, and Barbara Hershey reprised their roles in the film directed by James Wan, who also directed the first installment.