‘Mama’ Sequel Moving Forward With ‘Starry Eyes’ Directors Dennis Widmyer And Kevin Kolsch
Universal is finally making some real progress on theirMamasequel.Dennis WidmyerandKevin Kolsch(Starry Eyes) are reportedly in final talks to rewrite and direct a follow-up to the horror sequel. They replaceAndres Muschietti, who directed the Guillermo del Toro-produced original.
2013’sMamastarredJessica ChastainandNikolaj Coster-Waldauas a couple who take in the husband’s orphaned nieces, who are nearly feral after being abandoned in the woods almost five years ago. However, the girls bring with them a spiritual force called “Mama.” Director Muschietti has said hedoesn’t see the need for a sequel, but the first film made nearly ten times its production budget so of course there’s going to be one.
TheWrapreports Chastain is not expected to return. It’s unclear whether this means her character is simply sitting out the next movie, or whether this suggests the film will pick up with entirely different characters. Plot details are under tight wraps for the time being, and no start date or release date has been announced. Seeing as it’s already been three years since the lastMamaopened, though, we’d expect Universal to want to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later.
Widmyer and Kolsch made their feature directing debut with 2009’sAbsence, but they’re probably better known for their 2014 horrorStarry Eyes, which centered on an aspiring actress (Alex Essoe) who pays a steep price for fame and fortune. That film got positive notice on the festival circuit, starting with SXSW. Since then, the duo have collaborated on a segment for the upcoming horror anthologyHolidays. They are alsoattached to directExorcism Diariesfor Summit.
Muschietti, meanwhile, will be busy with theItadaptation that Cary Fukunaga dropped, and the Harry Houdini biopicThe Witch of Lime Street.
Get a taste of Widmyer and Kolsch’s work with theStarry Eyestrailer below.
