Naomi Watts will star in an English-language remake of “Goodnight Mommy,” the Austrian cult horror film from 2014, with the remake is set up at Amazon Studios.
Watts will also executive produce the film and star in the film that will be directed by Matt Sobel (“Take Me To The River”) from a script by Kyle Warren.
“Goodnight Mommy” follows twin brothers who, when sent to stay with their mother, are surprised to find her swathed in bandages from a recent procedure. As her behavior grows increasingly erratic and unusual, the twins become convinced she is an imposter. Their suspicion sets off a roller-coaster of emotional mind games and misunderstandings between mother and her children that eventually explodes with irreparable and heartbreaking consequences.
The psychological thriller was directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz and was also Austria’s submission to the Oscar race for Best Foreign Language Film. The remake rights were acquired by Playtime and the project was developed with Animal Kingdom. Amazon Studios will be financing and releasing worldwide.
Watts will also executive produce the “Goodnight Mommy” remake, as will the original film’s directors Fiala and Franz.
“My favorite films are those that invite the audience to step inside their protagonist’s journey,” Sobel said in a statement. “In our re-imagining of ‘Goodnight Mommy,’ fear of abandonment — and the dreadful realization that those close to us may not be who they seem — create an immersive nightmare, with visceral sensations front and center. I can’t wait to create this heart-stopping story with Amazon and the peerless Naomi Watts.”
Watts most recently starred in Netflix’s “Penguin Bloom” and in Hulu’s “Boss Level” with Frank Grillo and Mel Gibson. She’ll next star in Phillip Noyce’s “Lakewood” and is currently filming the thriller “Infinite Storm” for Bleecker Street, and she is a producer on both films.
Watts is represented by CAA and Untitled Entertainment. Sobel is represented by WME, Cinetic Media and Sloane Offer Weber Dern. Franz and Fiala are represented by WME and Jackoway Tyerman. Kyle Warren is represented by Writ Large.
Variety first reported the news.
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