‘Brother’S Keeper’ Maker Will Direct ‘Blair Witch 2’

Documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger, who helmed the critically acclaimed “Brother’s Keeper” and “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills,” will make his feature film directorial debut with the sequel to Artisan Entertainment/Haxan Films’ “The Blair Witch Project.”

Casting is under way, with production scheduled to begin in about six weeks. “Blair Witch 2,” being scheduled for a fall release, will be executive-produced by the original’s filmmakers, Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez. The duo will also act as hands-on consultants for the sequel to the sleeper hit that took in $140.5 million domestically.

In addition, Myrick and Sanchez have committed to jointly helm “Blair Witch 3,” a third installment that will serve as a prequel. The third feature is scheduled to begin production after the duo completes the comedy feature “Heat of Love,” which is slated to start shooting this spring.

“Blair Witch 3” is scheduled for a fall 2001 release. Both films will be budgeted in the $7 million-$10 million range each, a far cry from the original film’s $60,000 budget.

“Stylistically, this is not going to be a hand-held, digitally made film, but it won’t be a David Lean epic film either,” Artisan president Amir Malin told The Hollywood Reporter of the sequel.

“We want to maintain the integrity and the intrigue of the original `Blair Witch.’ Joe has a great understanding of cinema verite. He is skilled in documentary filmmaking and in bringing out the macabre and the horror of human nature.

“It’s an inspired choice that came from (Director of Development/Production) Cybelle Greenman.”

Plot lines for the “Blair Witch” sequel and prequel are being selected. A few months ago, Artisan hired at least four separate writers, including Jon Bokenkamp and Neal Marshall Stevens, to work on scripts. Artisan will select one to use for “Blair Witch 2.”

The prequel, which will be written by Myrick and Sanchez, is expected to follow the mythology of the Blair Witch.