Paramount Players has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to “Orphan: First Kill,” the prequel to the 2009 film “Orphan,” an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.
Dark Castle and eOne produced and co-financed the horror film, which is also produced by Alex Mace, Hal Sadoff, Ethan Erwin and James Tomlinson. David Leslie Johnson, who wrote the original film, executive produced along with Daryl Katz, Chloe Katz, Paul Marcaccio, Victor Moyers and Kyle Irving. Co-producers are Kelly Gallagher and Robert Bell.
William Brent Bell (“The Devil Inside,” “The Boy”) is directing. David Coggeshall wrote the script.
In “Orphan: First Kill,” previously titled “Esther,” Isabelle Fuhrman returns as the murderous sociopath from the original, but the prequel follows her life before she assumed the identity of Esther. Fuhrman plays Leena Klammer, who escapes from an Estonian psychiatric facility and travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But Leena’s new life as Esther comes with an unexpected wrinkle and pits her against a mother who will protect her family at any cost. Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland, Matthew Finlan and Hiro Kanagawa also star.
Jaume Collet-Serra directed the original “Orphan,” which made $77.9 million at the worldwide box office.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.