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Chris Columbus Aquires Screen Rights For ‘The Cypress House’

By Original Sharp on | From filmshaft.com

Source: FilmShaft - Chris Columbus Aquires Screen Rights For ‘The Cypress House’

Chris Columbus, the pen behind goofy horror classic 'Gremlins' and director of kids movies like 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' and 'Home Alone', has decided to turn back to horror by buying up film production rights for Michael Koryta's spooky novel The Cypress House through his production company 1492 Pictures. Columbus is set to produce the film and to write the screenplay, though it's not yet confirmed whether or not he plans to direct as well. This is an intriguing move for Columbus, who is best known for his work on family films; even 'Gremlins' was aimed at kids, though many of them may have emerged from the cinema slightly traumatised.

The book is about a World War I veteran with a somewhat depressing psychic ability; when a person's death is imminent, he sees a trace of smoke in their eye. The story takes place in 1935, and whilst on a train journey the protagonist, Arlen Wagner, sees the sign of death in his fellow passengers and begs them to disembark. Of course in true 'Final Destination' fashion the passengers ignore him and ride the train all the way to Hell, with the exception of young Paul Brickhill, who follows Wagner off the train. The two men hole up in an inn called The Cypress House with its owner, Rebecca, and as a nasty storm approaches the inn Alren begins to get his unpleasant premonitions once again.

An intriguing set-up. I mentioned 'Final Destination' and the predicament of the characters in The Cypress House seems very similar, albeit with a historical twist. It'll be interesting to see what Columbus and 1492 make of it.

Source: Deadline