14 years after its release, Grave Encounters is now getting a reboot starring Justin Long, the definitive Scream King of Hollywood. The 2011 film arrived at the height of the found footage trope in the horror genre. Despite the model suffering from oversaturation at the time, the originality and grainy realism of Grave Encounters successfully sparked a renewed interest in the trope.
As one of the smartest found footage projects of its kind, the movie begs to be remembered and find a place among the modern audience. With horror movies now being on the rise, Long’s decision to revisit this specific cult-classic from 2011 is very well-timed indeed.
Grave Encounters Reboot: All You Need to Know
In 2011, Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz co-wrote and co-directed a terrifying horror movie that surprised fans with its fresh and innovative quality, and quickly gained popularity as a cult-classic of its time. Grave Encounters was one of those opportune horrors that just hit all the right spots with the fandom. [Wicked Horror]
Now, Minihan and Ortiz are set to reunite once again to reboot their breakout film, replacing the original cast with Justin Long as the lead and his wife/creative partner, Kate Bosworth, as the producer.
Variety reports that the new film aims to “modernize the concept into a cinematic experience, heightening the dread, claustrophobia, and psychological terror that made the original a fan favorite.”
Long also commented on his involvement with the project and why he considered revisiting this particular horror gem from 2011, saying:
‘Grave Encounters’ has such a passionate fan base, and we include ourselves among them. We hope to honor the legacy of the original film, while unleashing something even darker.
The original film follows the crew of a ghost-hunting reality TV show who lock themselves inside a supposedly haunted abandoned mental institution to explore the existence of the supernatural. What begins as a cynical attempt at boosting their TV ratings turns into a harrowing nightmare worse than hell.
Grave Encounters Reboot Could Be Risky For Justin Long
Justin Long’s Grave Encounters reboot has more cons than pros in its favor. At a time when Hollywood is churning out amazing original horrors like Sinners and Weapons, it is surprising to witness a legacy cult-classic getting the reboot treatment.
People will often find that reboots, remakes, or revisions of cult-classics usually don’t work at the box office. High aspiration combined with nostalgia for the original film and the novelty of the first-time watch experience raises the audience’s expectations when it comes to a reboot.
Blair Witch (2016), Doctor Sleep (2019), A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), Pet Sematary (2019), Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022), Psycho (1998), the list goes on for legacy horror classics that failed with their reboot/remake.
Moreover, the 2011 film had the advantage of being made without studio supervision or budget constraints, an edge that Minihan and Ortiz will lack now that the film is being produced on a much larger scale with famous stars. The creative duo said in a statement, “We made ‘Grave Encounters’ in our 20s on a self-financed shoestring budget, and it scared the hell out of people.” It will not be possible to recreate the magic of the original, no matter the intent.
Below is a table of all the necessary details on the 2011 film:
Have you watched the 2011 cult-classic masterpiece of found-footage horror yet? Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments below.
Grave Encounters is available to stream on The Roku Channel.