Time for one out of left field. The classic 1953 crime novel The Night Of The Hunter by Davis Grubb, which has the 1955 movie adaptation of the same name, is getting a new adaptation. This time, it comes from the pair of Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. The two have previously paired on The Black Phone, Doctor Strange, and Sinister.
Derrickson will direct and co-write the script with Cargill. Peter Gethers will produce through his KramMar Delicious Mystery Productions, and Amy Pascal will produce through her Pascal Pictures first-look deal with Universal Pictures. If you’ve never read the original novel or seen the 1955 film, here’s a synopsis.
The Night Of The Hunter told the story of Harry Powell, a murderous ex-con who takes up the identity of a preacher in order to do his misdeeds. While in prison, a cellmate slated for execution tells Powell that he hid stolen cash with his kids. Upon his release, Powell finds the widow, woos her and marries her, all in a bid to find the loot. Things only gets worse for the kids from there.
The 1955 film is among the best ever made from director Charles Laughton. It stars Shelley Winters, Robert Mitchum, and Lillian Gish. Filmmakers throughout time since its release hail it as a major influence like the Coen Brothers and Guillermo Del Toro.
There is no word on what time period or how they’ll be differently adapting the original novel. The two aren’t only working on this film, they’re also working on The Black Phone 2 featuring Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames. That film releases in theaters on June 27th, 2025.
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