(Image credit: Universal)
Scott Derrickson, known for his work on Doctor Strange and The Black Phone, is teaming up with screenwriter C. Robert Cargill for another spine-tingling horror film, Road of Bones. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, this upcoming film is an adaptation of the 2022 horror novel, which delves into a real-life, eerie Siberian landscape shrouded in folklore and fear.
The novel, penned by Christopher Golden, chronicles the journey of a historian who ventures onto the Kolyma Highway in Siberia—a road infamous for its grim history. Constructed during the Stalinist era by prisoners, thousands perished while building the 2000 km stretch due to the harsh permafrost conditions. Their tragic fate was sealed beneath the highway, left forgotten as if covered up intentionally. The historian’s ill-fated expedition exposes him to unimaginable horrors, risking his permanent entrapment on this accursed path.
Given Derrickson and Cargill’s knack for gripping audiences with terror, the film aligns perfectly with their proven expertise. While films like Apple TV Plus’ The Gorge may not have left a lasting impression, The Black Phone, starring Ethan Hawke, certainly did. Its success prompted a sequel, eagerly anticipated with a release date set for October 17.
Reflecting on the sequel, Derrickson shared with GamesRadar+, “The main difference is that it’s a high school coming-of-age movie, in the same way that the original movie was a middle school coming-of-age movie, but those are two very different sorts of things.” He elaborated, “A high school coming-of-age movie demands more. It has to be more visceral. It has to be, I think, more graphic, scarier.” Fans eagerly await the sequel’s release, curious to see how the new narrative unfolds. Meanwhile, eager horror enthusiasts should check out a list of upcoming horrors worth their attention this year here.
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