It’s been over two years since we last heard word about director Matt Sobel’s English remake of the 2014 Austrian horror thriller Goodnight Mommy but now Variety has brought word that Oscar nominee Naomi Watts (Boss Level) has officially signed on to star in and executive produce the Amazon Studios project.
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“My favorite films are those that invite the audience to step inside their protagonist’s journey,” Sobel said in a statement. “In our re-imagining of Goodnight Mommy, fear of abandonment — and the dreadful realization that those close to us may not be who they seem — create an immersive nightmare, with visceral sensations front and center. I can’t wait to create this heart-stopping story with Amazon and the peerless Naomi Watts.”
The British actress is no stranger to the genre, having previously starred in horror and thriller films including David Lynch’s short film series Rabbits, the Gore Verbinski-helmed American remake of The Ring, 2005’s Stay, the english remake of Funny Games and 2011’s Dream House.
Pick up a copy of the original film here!
Written and directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala (The Lodge), Goodnight Mommy followed twin brothers who, when sent to stay with their mother, are surprised to find her swathed in bandages from a recent procedure. As her behavior grows increasingly erratic and unusual, the twins become convinced she is an imposter. Their suspicion sets off a roller-coaster of emotional mind games and misunderstandings between mother and her children, that eventually explodes with irreparable and heartbreaking consequences.
The English remake will be directed by Matt Sobel (Take Me to the River) from a screenplay written by Kyle Warren based on their vision for the film. Original film directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala are executive producing with David Kaplan, Joshua Astrachan, Valery Guibal and Nicolas Brigaud-Robert set as producers. The project is a co-production between prestige label Animal Kingdom and Playtime, who was the one that acquired the rights to the remake. Amazon Studios has signed on to finance and release the film worldwide.
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The original film made its world premiere at the 2014 Venice Film Festival, where it earned rave reviews from critics for its captivating plot, dark and moody atmosphere and chilling pace. It was also selected as Austria’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film a the 88th Academy Awards.
(Photo Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
