WITCHFINDER GENERAL (1968) Remake In Development with Nicolas Winding Refn as a Producer

Considered by many to feature one of Vincent Price's best performances, 1968's Witchfinder General is getting remade as a new film produced by Nicolas Winding Refn (The Neon Demon).

According to THR, there is word coming out of the Cannes Film Festival that Refn will produce a Witchfinder General reboot. Refn will help move the reboot forward in development with his collaborator Lene Borglum, but The Neon Demon director will not helm the remake. A search is currently underway for a writer and director for the project, which is estimated to have a $5–$10 million budget.

Also on board to produce the film is Rupert Preston's Sunrise Films. The UK rights to the Witchfinder General remake have already been acquired by Vertigo Releasing, while Protagonist will oversee international sales.

Directed by Michael Reeves and based on the real-life witch hunter Matthew Hopkins, the original Witchfinder General, aka The Conqueror Worm, starred Vincent Price as a British traveler in the 1600s who conjured up fear and condemned to death those he claimed were witches, ensuring his own financial gain at the expense of innocent lives.

The time period of the remake hasn't been decided and could take place in the 17th-century or in the present day. Stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates. For those unfamiliar with the original Witchfinder General, we have the film's official synopsis and trailer (via Scream Factory):

“A 17th-century British witch hunter during the time of Cromwell’s reign travels the English countryside as he does his dirty work for the strict purpose of lining his pockets. Completely taking advantage of the civil strife, he terrorizes people and bends them to his will, forcing confessions from witches” until a military officer risks treason to seek revenge against him.”