Sam Raimi to produce 'Refuge'

Source: Hollywoodreporter

Sam Raimi is taking "Refuge."

The genre maestro has signed on to produce a supernatural horror pic of that name, based on a pitch from up-and-coming British director Corin Hardy. The project has been set up at Mandate, where Raimi's Ghost House Pictures has a deal.

"Refuge" centers on a remote town terrorized by a Yeti, the mythological creature native to the mountains of the Himalayas. Hardy will direct from a script by fellow British writer Tom De Ville; both are repped by Paradigm's Marc Helwig and Trevor Astbury.

Jason Blum, Nathan Kahane and Steven Schneider will produce.

Meanwhile, Blum's Blumhouse Prods. will finance a short film with the same premise as the "Refuge" feature. Hardy and De Ville will work on that as well. The idea is to offer a teaser that can help Hardy refine his vision even as the script is being developed.

Genre auteurs are increasingly taking on projects from young directors and shepherding them through the indie and studio system as both producers and mentors. Guillermo del Toro, for instance, has taken on that role with Juan Antonio Bayona and other Spanish newcomers.

The CAA-repped Raimi, who is next set to shoot "Spider-Man 4" as well as an adaptation of the video game "World of Warcraft," is involved in a number of projects as a producer, including the vampire comic book adaptation "Priest" at Screen Gems.

Jenny Wood at Elevate manages Hardy -- a music video director for bands such as Prodigy and Keane -- while Independent's Hugo Wood reps him in the U.K.