Orphan prequel in the works from The Boy director William Brent Bell

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

After the death of their unborn child, Kate and John Coleman (Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard) adopt a mysterious young orphan named Esther from Russia in 2009's ORPHAN, but wouldn't you know it, Esther isn't exactly what she seems. The film, which was helmed by Jaume Collet-Serra (JUNGLE CRUISE), has developed something of a cult following, and it appears that a prequel is now in the works which will be centered around Esther.

William Brent Bell, director of THE BOY and the upcoming BRAHMS: THE BOY II, is set to helm ESTHER, which will tell the origin story of under-aged psychopath Esther/Lena Klammer as she "successfully escapes from a Russian psychiatric facility and makes it to America by impersonating 'Esther,' the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But Lena’s daring escape pits her against a mother who will protect her family at any cost." Isabelle Fuhrman (THE HUNGER GAMES) played the character in the 2009 film, but it's not yet known if she'll be reprising the role for ESTHER. The prequel has been scripted by David Coggeshall (Scream), with original writer David Leslie Johnson (THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT) onboard as an executive producer. Production on ESTHER is expected to kick off later this year.

William Brent Bell's BRAHMS: THE BOY II, will be hitting theaters on February 21st. The sequel finds a new family moving into a guest house on the Hellshire Mansion estate, completely unaware of its terrifying history. Soon after, their young son makes an unsettling new friend, an eerily life-like doll he calls Brahms. BRAHMS: THE BOY II stars Christopher Convery (Gotham), Katie Holmes (LOGAN LUCKY), Owain Yeoman (THE BELKO EXPERIMENT), and Ralph Ineson (THE WITCH).