Tobe Hooper To Direct 'Djinn'

Tobe Hooper will forever be linked to two of the most memorable horror films ever made: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist. (Questions of direction of the latter film aside, that is.) His more recent stuff hasn't been quite up to that level of recognizance, and in fact it has been over five years since he directed any feature or TV work. But he also hasn't worn out his welcome so we're hopeful that his new venture will pack a punch.

Tobe Hooper is now set to direct Djinn, a horror film that will take place in and be shot on location in Abu Dhabi.

A press release says the picture is a "unique new take on the haunted house thriller uncovers the dark truth behind classic fairytales of the Genie" and tells a story about "the nightmarish story of a young Emirati couple who return home from the U.S. 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."

David Tully wrote the script, and UAE short film director Nayla Al Khaja will be on hand as a local consultant and sort of feature director in training.

Because  Imagenation Abu Dhabi, the outfit behind the movie, is a relatively new venture, we don't know much about it. But the idea of a horror film set in the Arabic world is an enticing one. It won't be the first, but it probably will end up being one of the only Arab horror films to reach a broad audience.