Lee Daniels Sells Exorcism Film to Netflix for $65 Million

Lee Daniels Sells Exorcism Film to Netflix for $65 Million

If you love The Conjuring, and wondered how the story would play out with a Black family, we’ve got some good news.

After a fierce bidding war, Lee Daniels has sold his star-studded exorcism movie to Netflix. The deal is said to be in the $65 million range. Covering budget and production, set to begin later this year.

Daniels will direct a stacked cast that includes Golden Globe Winner Andra Day. She is reuniting with Daniels after last years acclaimed biological drama The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Also involved in the project are Academy Winner Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close, Rob Morgan, Caleb McLaughlin and Aunjanue Ellis.

Based on real events, “Day will play the mother of an Indiana family whose children purportedly became demonically possessed.”

McLaughlin plays Day’s character’s son at an older age. Close is Day’s character’s mother. Morgan is Day’s character’s boyfriend and Spencer plays a clergy member trying to help Day’s character through the supernatural ordeal.

Covered by The Indianapolis Star at the time, “Latoya Ammons and her three children experienced strange incidents in their Gary, IN, home. Growing progressively worse, with the children levitating, becoming violent with one another, speaking in growls and deep voices with no recollection afterwards. Many sceptical, but the Gary Police Department- Department of Child Services, the local church and hospital all became involved. Many even filing reports that took the supernatural occurrences seriously. Officers, doctors and social workers said they witnessed many of the incidents. One including a time which her 9-year-old son walked backward up a wall.”

Although $65 million may seem high, it’s not when you consider Universal and Blumhouse just paid $400 million for the rights to The Exorcist trilogy starring Leslie Odom Jr.

Also, take into account that according to Box Office Mojo,The Conjuring Universe has made $738 million in the US and Canada, and $2 billion worldwide. 

Have you ever wondered why there’s an endless stream of horror movies coming out? The genre is considered low risk, high reward. Studios can invest $5-20 million and get back $70-100 million if a movie catches fire with audience

Producers didn’t think they had a $2 billion franchise when the first The Conjuring was released.

Clearly Netflix is hoping they have something similar with this new project.

And let’s not skim past a Black-led horror film, because we rarely get those. Ever.

Netflix’s 2022 potential upcoming roll out sounds like a vibe.