Horror veteran Tobe Hooper to direct Imagenation movie

Tobe Hooper, the director behind the legendary classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as well as the three-time Academy Award-nominated, Steven Spielberg-produced Poltergeist, will helm Imagenation Abu Dhabi’s Arabian horror film DJINN.

Penned by US writer David Tully (Hepzibah), this new take on the haunted house thriller uncovers the dark truth behind classic fairytales of the Genie. 

DJINN tells the nightmarish story of a young Emirati couple who return home from the US and discover that their new apartment in a luxury high-rise built on the site of an abandoned fishing village is also home to the malevolent beings known as djinn.

DJINN, which was announced at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is scheduled to begin shooting in the UAE March 20^th.

Emirati director Nayla Al Khaja, behind the short films Once, Arabana, and Malal (premiering at the Dubai International Film Festival this month), will work as a cultural consultant on DJINN. Khaja will shadow Hooper on the set and train with him in preparation to helm her first feature length horror film.

Tobe Hooper said: “The horror genre speaks an international language and I am so pleased to be involved in a project with Imagenation Abu Dhabi that will transcend cultures and borders. Simply put, this movie will scare everyone, no matter where you live or what you believe in!”

Mohammed Al Mubarak, Chairman Elect of Imagenation Abu Dhabi, said: “We are very proud to have Tobe on board for Djinn; he is a pioneer and legend in the horror genre. With our second production, Imagenation Abu Dhabi continues to work toward its promise of helping to develop the Abu Dhabi film industry, by bringing international talent and expertise into the region and of producing commercially viable and distinctly Arab stories for a global audience.”

As one of the producers, Imagenation Abu Dhabi Vice President of Development Daniela Tully continued: “From the very beginning, Tobe was at the top of our list to take the reigns of this project. The horror genre has rarely been explored in this region, and Tobe’s involvement will not only leave a lasting impact in the Arab world, but will also carry Djinn into international markets. Combining this highly original story, and its new breed of bogeyman with Tobe’s outstanding directing skill, this production has huge potential to initiate a new horror wave globally, much as Asian cinema did a decade ago.”

Hooper is a director, writer and producer best known for his work in the horror genre, with credits that include the Emmy-nominated Stephen King adaptation Salem’s Lot, several episodes for Showtime’s Masters of Horror, The Funhouse, Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, Invaders from Mars, and the Toolbox Murders.  Hooper will soon add author to his dossier when his novel, MIDNIGHT MOVIE, co-written with Alan Goldsher, is published next year by Random House.