The Uncovered Witch Project 2000 was a highly controversial documentary film that aimed to explore the existence of witches. Released in the year 2000, the film followed a group of researchers and filmmakers as they embarked on a journey to uncover the truth behind the long-standing myths and legends surrounding witches. The main idea behind the documentary was to challenge the stereotypes and biases that society had towards witches, and instead provide a more nuanced understanding of this age-old phenomenon. The film began with an examination of historical records and folklore, tracing the origins of witchcraft back to ancient civilizations. It explored the perceptions of witches in different cultures, highlighting the diversity and complexity of their roles and practices. Through interviews with experts in the field, the film presented various theories about the origins and nature of witchcraft, including psychological, spiritual, and sociopolitical explanations.
Sánchez said that Lionsgate had already started to fund the project, but ultimately, the budget was too high for the studio to continue, which is why it never saw the light of day.
If we had been able to do it, we would have gone back and done the Elly Kedward story, which was the original Blair Witch, which would have had a lot of Native influence, at least a few Native American characters. With a modest budget of 200,000 750,000, The Blair Witch Project grossed nearly 250 million worldwide, becoming a global phenomenon and the most successful independent film of all time, dethroning Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990.
Through interviews with experts in the field, the film presented various theories about the origins and nature of witchcraft, including psychological, spiritual, and sociopolitical explanations. One of the key focuses of The Uncovered Witch Project 2000 was to give voice to modern-day witches. The filmmakers sought out practicing witches from different backgrounds and traditions, providing an intimate look into their lives and beliefs.
The uncovered witch project 2000
Credit: Haxan Films / Artisan Entertainment
At a time when the Internet was relatively new, the found-footage horror film, The Blair Witch Project (1999), which focuses on three film students who go missing in the woods, convinced an entire generation of cinemagoers that what they’d just watched was real.
But despite being incredibly convincing, thankfully, it turned out to be nothing more than the ingenious work of co-directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, who had sent three young actors posing as student filmmakers into a forest near Burkittsville, Maryland.
Credit: Haxan Films / Artisan Entertainment
Before disappearing into the woods, Heather Donahue, Michael C Williams, and Joshua Leonard would interview locals about the legend of the Blair Witch. But once they entered the Black Hills forest, the three would be tormented and hunted by an unseen entity.
With a modest budget of $200,000 — 750,000, The Blair Witch Project grossed nearly $250 million worldwide, becoming a global phenomenon and the most successful independent film of all time, dethroning Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990).
Credit: Haxan Films / Artisan Entertainment
But while the film would pave the way for the found-footage genre, it didn’t become the multi-movie franchise we expected. Its sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000), failed on almost every level, and it would be another 16 years before Blair Witch returned.
Like its two predecessors, Blair Witch (2016) was another box office success, but despite being a vast improvement over the 2000 sequel and even genuinely unnerving for the most part, fans and critics weren’t overly impressed, and the film received mixed reviews.
Credit: Lionsgate Films / Vertigo Entertainment
But there’s more Blair Witch to come, as it was reported earlier this year that a new film is in development at Lionsgate, while The Blair Witch Project co-director Eduardo Sánchez is reportedly attached to a television series based on the film franchise.
The premise for either project is unknown, and we also don’t know if they’ll follow the found-footage format. However, it’s possible they’ll draw inspiration from a “lost” Blair Witch prequel, which Sánchez recently revealed on a recent episode of the Cult FM podcast.
Credit: Haxan Films / Artisan Entertainment
The director went into detail about an unmade prequel script he and Myrick developed over a decade years ago, which would have involved a series of period pieces featuring characters mentioned in the Blair Witch films and other media, such as Rustin Parr and Elly Kedward.
Credit: Lionsgate Films / Vertigo Entertainment“In our mythology, as far as the Blair Witch is concerned, this thing existed long before it was called the Blair Witch,” Sánchez explained. “The Native Americans have been living with this thing for way before Europeans got here. [Myrick and I] wrote a [prequel] to our movie probably more than ten years ago now.”
Sánchez said that Lionsgate had already started to fund the project, but ultimately, the budget was too high for the studio to continue, which is why it never saw the light of day.
Credit: Haxan Films / Artisan Entertainment“Lionsgate paid us and it was a legit, ‘We’re gonna let you guys write a script.’ We were really proud of the script and Lionsgate really did love the script, they just didn’t want to spend — it was a little bit too expensive for them to pull the trigger on it. I understand why they hesitated.”
The prequel would have delved into the origins of the Blair Witch, and Sánchez explained how they wanted to “bounce around in time” seemingly across three films, or a “prequel trilogy”, if you will.
“If we had been able to do it, we would have gone back and done the Elly Kedward story, which was the original Blair Witch, which would have had a lot of Native influence, at least a few Native American characters. Then we wanted to go and do a Rustin Parr story. We wanted to do these period-piece horror movies, then eventually go into a sequel, six years down the road or ten years down the road. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for us to do it.”
There’s no release date for the new Blair Witch film or the television series.
Would you like to see a new Blair Witch film? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
Tagged: horrorDaniel Roberts
Dan is a huge fan of Star Wars, Disney, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters and Harry Potter, and has written for numerous entertainment websites.
Dan is a huge fan of Star Wars, Disney, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters and Harry Potter, and has written for numerous entertainment websites.
They showcased the diversity within the witchcraft community, challenging the stereotypical image of witches as green-skinned, broomstick-riding villains. Another important aspect of the film was its exploration of witch-hunting and persecution throughout history. The documentary dove into the dark periods when thousands of innocent people, primarily women, were accused of witchcraft and often faced horrific trials and executions. It shed light on the social, political, and religious factors that fueled these witch trials, exposing the injustices and human rights violations that occurred. Throughout the documentary, The Uncovered Witch Project 2000 aimed to promote a more empathetic understanding of witches and an appreciation for their beliefs and practices. It challenged viewers to critically examine the stereotypes and biases they may hold towards witches and consider their own role in perpetuating these misconceptions. Despite receiving mixed reviews upon its release, The Uncovered Witch Project 2000 sparked important conversations and debates about the perception of witches in society. It opened up dialogue between different communities and helped foster greater acceptance and understanding. The film remains an influential and thought-provoking piece that continues to shape the way witches are portrayed and perceived in popular culture..
Reviews for "The Uncovered Witch Project: A Study in Fear and Mythology"
1. Samantha - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "The Uncovered Witch Project 2000" after seeing all the hype surrounding it, but boy was I disappointed. The film lacked any substance or cohesiveness - it felt like a bunch of random scenes put together with no real plot or storyline. The acting was also extremely amateur and the characters were one-dimensional. Overall, it was a waste of time and money for me.
2. Andrew - 1/5 stars - "The Uncovered Witch Project 2000" was an absolute disaster. The filming quality was horrendous, with shaky camera work and poor lighting throughout. I couldn't even understand what was going on half the time due to the muffled audio. The story didn't make any sense, and the characters were incredibly unlikable. I regretted watching it from the very first minute and would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I usually enjoy found footage-style films, but "The Uncovered Witch Project 2000" failed to deliver. The scares were cheap and predictable, and the special effects were laughable. The plot was confusing and lacked any real depth or originality. Additionally, the pacing was extremely slow, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, it was a disappointing and forgettable experience for me.
4. David - 1/5 stars - I was excited to watch "The Uncovered Witch Project 2000" as a fan of horror films, but it turned out to be a complete letdown. The acting was cringe-worthy, with dialogue that felt forced and unnatural. The supposed scares were more laughable than terrifying, and the storyline was boring and unoriginal. It felt like a cheap attempt at cashing in on the found footage trend, and I couldn't wait for it to end. Don't waste your time on this one.