Lionsgate has won Kevin Coughlin and Ryan Grassby’s horror spec script “Mother Land,” after a competitive auction, the company announced on Thursday.
Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen will produce the project via their 21 Laps banner.
The high concept spec is considered timely and centers on a family that has been haunted by an evil spirit for years. Their safety and their surroundings come into question when one of the children questions if the evil is real.
Coughlin and Grassby wrote 2016’s “Mean Dreams,” which starred the late Bill Paxton and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Lionsgate’s Aaron Janus and Chelsea Kujawa will oversee for Lionsgate, and Emily Morris will oversee for 21 laps.
“Mother Land” is 21 Laps most recent sale for the banner which continues to set up projects during quarantine. Last month they set up “My Wife and I Bought A Ranch” at Netflix based on the Reddit No Sleep article. The banner also released the “Unsolved Mysteries” reboot also on netflix and will soon resume production on the upcoming fourth season of “Stranger Things.” Additionally, an untitled time travel and adventure movie starring Ryan Reynolds and directed by Levy is on the move, being picked up by Netflix after shifting from Paramount, which is eyeing a November production start, subject to COVID-19 shooting protocols. Paramount will also release the 21 Laps-produced “Love and Monsters” on premium video on demand on Oct. 16.
Coughlin and Grassby are represented by Paradigm, The Coronel Group, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller et al.
Robert Melnik oversaw the deal for Lionsgate.
WME & Ziffren/Brittenham rep 21 Laps.