We've been hearing rumors of a film adaptation of Stephen King's bestseller CELL since 2007, starting when genre fave Eli Roth was set to helm. When that version failed to transpire, word began to spread that the novel was making its way to television from director John Harrison, but that obviously didn't happen either. That didn't stop producers from trying to push forward with the project and in October of last year we got word that John Cusack (who had earlier appeared in another Stephen King adaption, the pretty decent 1408) had signed on to star in the Genre Company's take on the book, to be produced by Richard Saperstein. We haven't heard much else in the months since that report, but today that all changes as we now have word that International Film Trust has taken CELL to Cannes with Benaroya Pictures now on board to finance and co-produce. Even better, Cusack is still attached to star, a director is in place and a start date for principal photography is in the works.
Tod "Kip" Williams, who helmed PARANORMAL ACTIVIY 2, is set to direct, with principal photography set to begin in September. Richard Saperstein (the upcoming THE TOXIC AVENGER remake, SE7EN) and Michael Benaroya (LAWLESS, MARGIN CALL) are producing along with The Genre Company’s Brian Witten and Shara Kay. Marina Grasic and Jan Korbelin of Cargo Entertainment will executive produce.
When a powerful signal is broadcast across mobile networks worldwide, cell phone users’ minds are instantly and dangerously re-programmed. Heading north through New England in search of his wife and son, Clay Riddell (Cusack) is joined by a group of survivors hoping to fend off the bloodthirsty and hyper-connected “phoners.”
It's been a long, rough road to get CELL to the screen, so let's keep our fingers crossed that this time it will actually happen. We'll keep you updated on the films progress as we hear it.