Participant Gearing Up for Colombian Thriller (Exclusive)

Participant Media is gearing up to begin production on an untitled supernatural thriller about a Western family who moves to Colombia and learns their house is haunted.

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Summit Entertainment will distribute the film worldwide per its deal with Participant; the two partners are co-financing the project with Imagenation.

Participant developed Alex and David Pastor's script in-house and then pacted with Spanish production company Apaches (The Orphanage) and Colombian production house Dynamo (Contracorriente). The writing duo's credits include Carriers.

Spanish filmmaker Luis Quilez is directing the Participant movie in his feature debut after making a number of short films. Quilez is set to begin shooting this month in Colombia.

The storyline revolves around a Western corporate executive who moves to a rural town in Colombia with his family to run one of his company's factories. Soon, they discover their new home is haunted.

Participant has been on a winning streak at the box office with The Help and Contagion, projects it co-produced and co-financed. The company was involved early on in The Help, which is up for four Academy Awards, including best picture and best actress (Viola Davis).

Participant and Focus Features are in negotiations to acquire an untitled drama project written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski. Damon was originally planning to direct the film at Warner Bros., where he has a production deal, but he had to move on over scheduling difficulties. Gus Van Sant then came aboard to helm.