LOS ANGELES, CA October 2, 2009 – Ghost House Pictures has announced today the establishment of SPOOKY PICTURES, a production label dedicated to the financing, development, production and distribution of scary movies made for the family audience.

The first project under the new label, in collaboration with friends and partners Sony Pictures and Stars Road Entertainment’s Joshua Donen, will be THE SUBSTITUTE. Scott Derrickson and Paul Harris Boardman (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) will scribe the remake of acclaimed writer/ director Ole Bornedal’s 2007 Danish language thriller of the same name, with Derrickson directing. The project is being developed in cooperation with Columbia Pictures, which has an option to co-finance and distribute the picture domestically. Columbia has a first-look to distribute this and future films from Spooky Pictures.

The film will be produced by filmmakers Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, the Spider-Man franchise) and Rob Tapert (30 Days of Night, The Grudge films) through their new Spooky Pictures shingle in association with Thura Films. Russell Hollander and Nathan Kahane will executive produce alongside the makers of the Danish film Ole Bornedal and Michael Obel. Tendo Nagenda and J.R. Young will shepherd for Spooky Pictures.

THE SUBSTITUTE follows a terrified 6^th grade class as they race to reveal to their parents that their new substitute teacher is an evil alien being.

Boardman and Derrickson previous collaborations include Exorcism of Emily Rose and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. They are repped by WME, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and attorney Karl Austen of Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein. Sam Raimi is represented by CAA and attorney Craig Jacobson. Ole Bornedal is repped by WME, Danny Sherman at Principal Entertainment and attorney Andrew Hurwitz at Schreck Rose Dapello Adams & Hurwitz. Michael Obel is repped by WME. For Spooky Pictures, Rob McEntegart negotiated the remake rights and Columbia deals, and Dan Freedman negotiated the Boardman/Derrickson deal. Principal Entertainment, WME and Andrew Hurwitz brokered the deal between Thura Films and Spooky Pictures.

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