David F. Sandberg may have hit it big with superhero movie Shazam!, but he got his start in horror, and that’s where he’s returning to for his next film.
Originally making a name for himself via a low-budget horror YouTube channel, Sandberg then went on to make features Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation. Now he’s on board to direct The Culling.
The Culling is a spec script written by burgeoning writer Stephen Herman, and revolves around a priest who secludes himself to a cabin in the middle of the woods to try and battle the demon who tormented him and his family as a child.
Sandberg will be directing the script and producing the film through his newly formed Mångata production shingle alongside his regular collaborator Lotta Losten. Lionsgate will release the film.
Obviously horror has a long history of religion-based films, and there will no doubt be plenty of Exorcist comparisons made to The Culling. Sandberg has proven he can craft some impressive horror set pieces, and he should be able to maximise this interesting middle-of-the-woods setting for scares.
It will also be interesting to see what he’s learned from working on a big budget superhero film in Shazam!, and how that can be adapted back into his favourite genre. We’ll wait to hear more about The Culling, including if it will star anyone notable, which is a possibility considering that it sounds like very few characters will actually be in the film.
#Peace.Love.TheCulling
