Sony Developing New ‘Urban Legend’ Movie with Gary Dauberman and Neal Moritz

Sony’s Screen Gems is developing a reboot of the 1998 slasher film ‘Urban Legend’. The new project is still in early development, with screenwriter Shanrah Wakefield hired to pen the script. Gary Dauberman, known for his work on major horror franchises like ‘It’, ‘Annabelle’, and ‘The Nun’, will produce through his company Coin Operated. Neal Moritz, who produced the original film, is also in talks to return as a producer.

The original ‘Urban Legend’, directed by Jamie Blanks and written by Sylvio Horta, followed a series of murders inspired by popular urban myths, set at a New England university. It featured a cast of rising stars at the time including Jared Leto, Joshua Jackson, Alicia Witt, and Tara Reid. Although not as critically acclaimed as other horror hits of the era, it was financially successful and spawned two sequels.

Plot details for the reboot remain under wraps, but sources suggest it will explore how urban legends have evolved in the digital age. This modern take aims to examine myth-making in an online world. Dauberman’s Coin Operated currently holds a first-look deal with Sony’s Screen Gems. Wakefield is represented by CAA and other major agencies.