Remember a few years back when the news was telling us all about that family in New Jersey who had bought a new house and started getting terrifying letters left in their mailbox from someone who said the had been destined to “watch” over the house they had purchased?
Well – I sure the hell do and that real-life horror show became the subject of an amazing article over at New York Magazine’s The Cut and Netflix has just won the rights to that article and the film adaptation tilted The Watcher that will be coming from it. This was a heated bidding process too – major players wanted this one – Blumhouse, Bad Robot, Fox – and the list goes on and on and on but…..Netflix won and let’s admit it – Netflix has been bringing us some kick-ass, top-notch genre stuff so – I’m all in for this one.
Paranormal Activity 3 directors Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman have been tapped to bring this one to the screen.
Deadline posted up this nice recap of what the story is about – get ready to lock your door!
“The article begins in June 2014, when Derek and Maria Broaddus were preparing to move with their three children into the dream house they bought for $1.3 million in tony Westfield. Derek found a peculiar welcome letter in the mailbox addressed to the new occupant. The anonymous writer detailed his long history with the house, and divulged details about the family that were more than disturbing as the letter went on. “How did you end up here?” the writer asked. “Did 657 Boulevard call to you with its force within?” The letter went on: 657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming. My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time. Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out… “You have children. I have seen them. So far I think there are three that I have counted,” the anonymous correspondent wrote, before asking if there were “more on the way”: Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Better for me. Was your old house too small for the growing family? Or was it greed to bring me your children? Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them too [sic] me.”
The new homeowners sought out the police, and several other letters arrived – the letter writer used the word “blood” often – and the sellers acknowledged they too received a letter recently they tossed away. Soon, they and neighbors on the block were eyed as potential suspects, and the dream became a nightmare. The couple tried in vain to discover the letter writer; they eyed their new neighbors warily as those people wondered if the homeowners were themselves behind the stalking campaign. The Broadduses never moved their children into their dream house. They tried to sell, even tried to raze the structure that the letter writer claims he and predecessors have watched for a century, and build two new houses that would have allowed them to recoup. The property was a few feet short of zoning requirements and the town, fueled by the anger of neighbors, wouldn’t grant permission. So they have mostly rented the house while trying to stay afloat. The film deal will certainly help in that regard.”
That is some seriously messed up stuff – am I right? Hoping that things get moving quickly on this one and you can count on the fact that I’ll throw updates your way was they come in.
If you’ve never read the article over at THE CUT – I highly recommend do – it’s nightmare fuel for sure. CLICK HERE, but lock the doors first.
