Katie Holmes to Star in Sequel to Horror Film ‘The Boy’

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Katie Holmes will star as the lead in horror sequel “The Boy 2” from STXfilms and Lakeshore Entertainment.

William Brent Bell will return to direct the sequel. Principal photography will begin in Victoria, British Columbia, on Jan. 14. Foreign sales will launch at the American Film Market, which opens Oct. 31 in Santa Monica, Ca.

The story will revolve around a young family, unaware of the terrifying history of the estate into which they move, where their young son soon makes an unsettling new friend, an eerily life-like doll he calls Brahms.

Stacey Menear returns to script. “The Boy 2” will be produced by Lakeshore’s Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi and Eric Reid, as well as Matt Berenson, Jim Wedaa and Roy Lee. “The Boy,” which starred Lauren Cohan and Rupert Evans, was produced for under $15 million and grossed $68 million worldwide.

Lucchesi said, “Following the success of ‘The Boy,’ we are thrilled to be working on the next chapter of this chilling Brahms story with Stacey and William. We are also delighted to be continuing our relationship with STX, on this, our third partnership”

Holmes’ credits include “Dawson’s Creek,” “Batman Begins,” “Ray Donovan” and the upcoming “Coda” with Patrick Stewart. Bell is developing Blumhouse Productions’ TV series “Posthumans.”

Holmes is managed by Jason Weinberg at Untitled Entertainment and represented by ICM Partners. Bell is represented by ICM Partners.