Larry Fessenden Not Visiting THE ORPHANAGE

We reported back in August that WENDIGO and THE LAST WINTER director, Larry Fessenden, had signed on to direct the American remake of THE ORPHANAGE.  Today comes word from Arrow in the Head that Fessenden is officially off the project.  Fessenden is currently producing the vampire flick STAKE LAND, and Arrow in the Head, who was on set, spoke with the producer about his on-then-off involvement on the film.

THE ORPHANAGE was two years of waiting. Working on the script with Guillermo was a very exciting experience, but then I got into a casting miasma and that’s where the thing is; I think they’re gonna do it another way, actually. So I think I’m out of it. Hopefully they’ll still use my script, but I’m not sure I’m directing it anymore. That’s Hollywood for ya.

He sounds a little unsure in that quote, but, it’s probably a done deal if he’s opening up to the press about it.  Fessenden even went on to talk about how this waning relationship with Hollywood filmmaking has left him somewhat jaded to return to it any time soon.

Whether Fessenden is on board or not, it is pretty evident that a remake to THE ORPHANAGE is going to get done.  Hopefully, with Del Toro’s involvement, that, at the very least, means it is going to be more than just your run-of-the-mill, Hollywood retread.

If nothing else, this may open Fessenden up to making another Wendigo movie.  It’s been a few years, and he might want to get back into bed with that subject matter.