New Line is moving ahead on “The Nun,” a spinoff movie based on the demonic character in “The Conjuring 2” with British director Corin Hardy on board.
The studio began developing “The Nun” last June, shortly after “The Conjuring 2” opened. Producers are James Wan, who directed the two “Conjuring” movies and produced the sequel, and Peter Safran, who produced both movies. The current script for “The Nun” is written by Gary Dauberman and Wan.
The demon nun came to life in “The Conjuring 2” from a painting by Patrick Wilson’s paranormal investigator Ed Warren and later attacked Vera Farmiga’s Lorraine Warren. “The Conjuring 2” deals with the 1977 case of demonic possession of an 11-year-old British girl, played by Madison Wolfe.
New Line has already successfully spun off 2014’s “Annabelle” from the demonic doll from 2013’s “The Conjuring.” “Annabelle” was a massive hit with $256 million worldwide on a $6 million budget, with a sequel set for August. “The Conjuring” and “The Conjuring 2” each grossed $320 million worldwide.
Hardy directed the horror film “The Hallow,” in which a conservationist unleashes demonic forces in the rural Irish forest. It premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by IFC for the U.S.
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Paramount attached Hardy last year to direct action movie “Hell Bent” with Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian producing. He was attached to direct Relativity’s reboot of “The Crow” in late 2014 before the company went through bankruptcy, but it’s unlikely that the hobbled company will go through with those plans.
Hardy is repped by WME, Elevate Entertainment, and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson. The news about “The Nun” was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
