Director Andrés Muschietti is already attached to one new, high-profile assignment following his work on Mama, as he’s the latest director for Stephen King adaptation It. But he’s also now developing a slightly less well known book, The Witch Of Lime Street.
David Jaher’s tome, which was published a couple of months ago, focuses on illusionist Harry Houdini’s work in the 1920s with a panel of investigative experts who debunked mystics, shamans and spirit mediums, with the book’s focus on his rivalry with Margery Crandon, known as the Witch of Lime Street.
STX Entertainment has picked up the film rights, and the company’s president Oren Aviv explains why it’s attractive as a potential movie: “This is a spellbinding and exciting true story that weaves a fantastic mystery and lots of intrigue with history involving some of the most renowned and iconic figures of the era. The timeless question: ‘is there life after death?’ is explored through a scientific quest to investigate and validate supernatural phenomena. Ultimately the film leads to an epic showdown and otherworldly confrontation as the world renowned occult master Harry Houdini takes on the world’s greatest psychic Margery Crandon.”
It’s early days for this one, but Muschietti will work on the idea with his regular collaborator, sister Barbara Muschietti. It, meanwhile, remains in limbo like a hovering demonic spirit.