Lionsgate has announced that Sam Raimi will direct a contemporary adaptation of William Goldman’s novel “Magic,” which was originally adapted into a 1978 film directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Anthony Hopkins. The original film follows a ventriloquist who becomes controlled by his sinister puppet during a period when he is also trying to rekindle a romantic relationship. Anthony Hopkins delivered an intense, chilling performance in the film, foreshadowing his later Oscar-winning role in The Silence of the Lambs.
Raimi, known for creating the Evil Dead franchise and directing the acclaimed Spider-Man trilogy in the 2000s, is set to produce the new project alongside Roy Lee, who produced It and Weapons. The project has also garnered support from producers Chris Hammond and Tim Sullivan, long-time advocates of the adaptation, as well as Zainab Azizi of Raimi Productions. Additionally, Nathan Kahane and Paul Fishkin will serve as executive producers, along with Andrew Childs for Vertigo.
The screenplay is penned by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, who previously collaborated with Raimi and Azizi on Send Help for 20th Century Studios.
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