Amityville Horror Gets a Fresh Start with New Director

David F. Sandberg, the director behind Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation, is set to lead a new Amityville Horror film at Amazon MGM Studios.

Sandberg is fresh off directing the video game adaptation Until Dawn and has previously worked with The Safran Company on successful films like Shazam! and Annabelle: Creation.

The script for the new Amityville Horror is being written by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing, known for their work on The Conjuring: Last Rites. The writers describe this version as a reimagining of the original story. Specific plot details have not been released yet.

The production team includes Peter Safran and John Rickard as producers alongside Sandberg. Natalia Safran and Lotta Losten are attached as executive producers.

The Amityville Horror franchise began in the late 1970s with a film based on Jay Anson’s 1977 book. The story focuses on the Lutz family, who move into a house in Amityville, New York, where a tragic murder had taken place the year before.

Soon after moving in, the family reported strange and frightening events in the house. Over the years, the story has inspired multiple movies, but none have made a major impact in recent times.

Interest in Amityville remains strong. Recently, another production team, BoulderLight Pictures and Divide/Conquer, announced a separate new Amityville project. That film, written and directed by Joseph and Vanessa Winter, will take a different approach, rooted in the public domain version of the story rather than the established film series.

The last few entries in the franchise have had limited success. Amityville: Where the Echo Lives was released straight to streaming, while Amityville: The Awakening had a bigger cast but only made around $8 million.

Sandberg’s track record in horror and action films, along with Goldberg and Naing’s experience, suggests this new take could bring fresh energy to the series.

In my opinion, it’s exciting to see a new director take on such a well-known horror story. With Sandberg’s experience and the creative team involved, this could be a strong reboot for fans of the franchise. What do you think about a new Amityville Horror movie? Share your thoughts in the comments.