An oddity at the start of summer of 2010, the overlooked “Splice” from “Cube” director Vincenzo Natali was an equal parts Paul Verhoeven and David Cronenberg-style body horror film that was fortunately able to sidestep some third act contrivances to create a pretty memorable time at the movies. We liked it quite a bit, but the film bombed at the box office, casting some doubt of the future of the talented Natali’s career. He toyed with the idea of adapting the comic book “Alpha Flight” during press rounds for “Splice,” but most notably lined up a directorial gig with the adaptation of William Gibson novelization “Neuromancer” and a horror anthology film entitled “Paris, I’ll Kill You,” which were all options that piqued our interest at the time. Now it looks as if another project may be moving forward rather quickly for Natali, along with a familiar face joining the cast.
Variety has word that “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Zombieland” star Abigail Breslin is set to join the fold on Natali’s reverse ghost story “Haunter,” which will see Breslin star as a ghost named Lisa who died under mysterious and altogether sinister circumstances in her house in 1986. Trapped along with the spirits of her family in the house, she attempts to reach out to the new inhabitants to help them avoid the same fate that befell upon her. We’ve said for a while now that the once adorable “Little Miss Sunshine” version of Breslin has now matured into a young adult who steers clear of the the many pitfalls of being a child actress, preferring darker roles like the upcoming Brad Anderson-directed flick “The Hive,” a sex comedy entitled “Virgin Mary,” a potential new vampire picture with Julianne Moore, and her first major blockbuster in the highly-anticipated Orson Scott Card adaptation “Ender’s Game.” So while 2011 was a quiet year with Breslin only really lending her voice to “Rango” and sheer presence to “New Years Eve,” we’re guessing 2012 and the subsequent years should be a busy one for this ever-rising actress.
Copperheart Entertainment are producing “Haunter,” as they were also behind “Splice,” with production set to start in mid-April in Toronto. Apparently Breslin is off to shoot “The Hive” in June, so we’re guessing this may be a quick little shoot for all involved.
