Andres Muschetti’s Mama was genuinely and consistently frightening, if a little too eager to introduce its malevolent maternal figure. A kind of twisted fairy tale, Mama told the story of two girls who are orphaned in the wild and whose supernatural caregiver wasn’t quite as personable as your average fairy godmother. The movie was a hit for Universal in 2013, so, naturally, the studio has a sequel in the works. And according to The Hollywood Reporter, the new film will be starting from scratch with new writers and directors, as well as a possible new lead.
Universal has tapped Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch to write and direct the sequel, with Scott Bernstein (Ride Along 2) and Russell Ackerman (a bunch of short documentaries on Guillermo Del Toro movies) producing. Widmyer and Kolsch previously wrote and directed the indie horror film Starry Eyes, and have also been tasked with directing and rewriting Summit Entertainment’s Exorcism Diaries. No casting announcements have been made for the Mama sequel, but The Wrap reports that Jessica Chastain is not expected to return. The actress, who will soon be seen battling Charlize Theron and Emily blunt in The Huntsman: Winter’s War, anchored the first film as the girls’ grudging guardian, so we’ll see how Widmyer and Kolsch will compensate for her absence.