Scott Derrickson is returning to his horror roots for Black Phone, which will reteam the director with Sinister production company Blumhouse.
The project is based on a Joe Hill short story of the same name that follows a kidnapped child who is being kept basement with an antique phone that, despite being disconnected, rings at night with calls from the dead. Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw will star.
Universal will distribute the feature, which Derrickson and his frequent collaborator Robert Cargill adapted.
Derrickson, Cargill and Jason Blum, for Blumhouse, are producing the film. Universal and Blumhouse will present the Crooked Highway Productions. Joe Hill is an executive producer.
Derrickson, repped by WME, Brillstein and Ziffren Brittenham, directed Marvel feature Doctor Strange. He is set to direct the Chris Evans-starrer Bermuda for Skydance, and a sequel to Labyrinth for TriStar.
