A couple weeks ago, we shared the news that a new La Llorona-themed horror movie – entirely separate from the “Conjuring Universe adjacent” movie The Curse of La Llorona, the La Llorona movie that was released through the Shudder streaming service, and January’s The Legend of La Llorona – would be filming in Las Vegas. That movie, titled Skeletons in the Closet, did indeed start filming two weeks ago… and now Deadline reports that after a few days of filming, director Lance Kawas was replaced at the helm by producer Asif Akbar. “The production tells us this was down to creative differences.”
Deadline also revealed that previously announced stars Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire), Clifton Powell (Ray), and Valery M. Ortiz (2 Minutes of Fame) have been joined in the cast by Udo Kier (Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich), Sally Kirkland (Anna), and Louis Mandylor (The Mercenary).
Written by Koji Steven Sakai and Joshua A. Cohen (based on a story by producer Al Bravo), Skeletons in the Closet will tell the story of
the spirit of La Llorona granting a costly wish to the parents of a child by curing her of cancer. In saving the child, the mother of the child suffers the consequences by losing her beloved husband and becoming more evil until she pledges her allegiance to La Llorona. The father (Howard) spirals down the path of self-destruction after borrowing hard money from a ruthless mobster to pay the hospital bills for his daughter.
Akbar, Bravo, and Sakai are producing the film with Colin Bates, Monica R. Cooper, and Stan Erdreich.
Akbar’s previous directing credits include The Commando, starring Mickey Rourke and Michael Jai White, and segments of the horror anthology Morbid Stories.
We’ll keep you updated on Skeletons in the Closet as more information is made available.