The stars of The Blair Witch Project, Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams, have come together to address Lionsgate after the studio announced a partnership with Blumhouse for a reboot of the iconic film. The trio has made a public statement demanding retroactive and future residual payments for their roles in the original film. They are also asking for meaningful consultation on any future Blair Witch projects.
In their statement, the actors expressed their desire for residuals equivalent to what they would have received through SAG-AFTRA, had they been properly represented during the making of The Blair Witch Project. They are seeking fair compensation for their acting services and are calling on Lionsgate to acknowledge their contributions to the franchise.
Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams are also requesting consultation on any future Blair Witch reboots, sequels, prequels, toys, games, rides, escape rooms, or any other projects that use their names or likenesses for promotional purposes. They believe that as the original creators of the Blair Witch, they have valuable insights to offer and should be included in discussions about the direction of the franchise.
Additionally, the trio is asking for the creation of “The Blair Witch Grant,” a prize of $60,000 to be awarded to an unknown or aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in the production of their first feature film. This grant is intended to support new talent in the industry and provide an opportunity for emerging filmmakers to showcase their creativity without the studio owning the rights to their work.
The statement from the Blair Witch Project actors was accompanied by a message from the original filmmakers, Eduardo Sánchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hole, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello. The directors and producers of the film expressed their respect for Lionsgate’s right to monetize the franchise but emphasized the significant contributions of the original cast.
The stars of The Blair Witch Project are demanding fair compensation, consultation on future projects, and support for aspiring filmmakers. Their statements highlight the importance of recognizing the contributions of the original creators and ensuring that they are involved in the development of the Blair Witch franchise. It remains to be seen how Lionsgate will respond to these requests and whether they will take the actors’ concerns into consideration moving forward.
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