Chad and Carey Hayes, the writing duo behind The Conjuring and its first sequel, have found their next project, and it’s one that’ll put them in the director’s chair. The film is a thriller titled Train, and though it’s in early development, the directors have already signed their lead. It’s none other than Wednesday star Frances O’Connor.
Per Variety, the Hayes brothers have landed a deal with Bronte Studios, an Australian production company led by Blake Northfield and Michelle Krumm. The producing partners expressed their excitement in a statement that reads as follows:
“The Hayes Brothers are known worldwide as the creators of some of the most successful horror films in history; now it’s their turn to direct. We are beyond thrilled to be producing their directorial debut and incredibly excited to have Frances O’Connor cast. We’re looking forward to introducing this film to the marketplace.”
O’Connor’s recent credits include a role in Season 2 of Wednesday, but beyond that, she’s a performer with an extensive filmography that includes Bedazzled, The Hunter, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and Emily (which she also directed). Train will reunite her with the Hayes team, as she portrayed the afflicted mother Peggy Hodgson in the 2016 sequel The Conjuring 2.
The Hayes brothers have been active in the industry since the 1990s, when they wrote screenplays for various TV films. In 2005, they entered the studio system by co-writing the horror remake House of Wax, and in 2007, they wrote The Reaping. 2013 saw their official debut in the Conjuring series, when they worked alongside James Wan in the creation of the franchise. Upon signing the deal with Bronte Studios, the Hayes brothers also shared their joy in getting the opportunity to direct a movie for the first time:
“We’re thrilled to be making our directorial debut with Train, in partnership with the incredible team at Bronte Studios.
“After years of writing, developing, and living inside the industry, we’re excited to finally put all that experience behind the camera. This story has everything we love about our genre and can’t wait to bring this one to life.”
Creating the Most Successful Horror Franchise of All Time
New Line Cinema / Warner Bros. Discovery
Although their slate of films extends beyond Conjuring movies, the Warner Bros. franchise is the duo’s biggest credit to date. The first two Conjuring films are two of the highest-grossing horror films in recent decades, and they laid the foundation for what ultimately became the most profitable horror franchise of all time.
Although producer Tony DeRosa-Grund is credited with coming up with the concept, the Hayes duo were responsible for adding the Warrens element and their POV to the equation. It was a clever script choice that subtly moved the film beyond the traditional “haunted house” setup, and added a narrative backdrop that stayed strong throughout the entire franchise. The writing duo eventually left the Conjuring franchise, and ended up writing lesser-known horror films like The Crucifixion and The Turning. Hopefully, having creative control over the story in Train will give them the opportunity to climb back on top of the box office.
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