Author Geoff Manaugh's "socially mediated ghost story" Ernest was published on Vice.com in October of 2017 (you can still read it on Vice at THIS LINK), and just one month later it was announced that Christopher Landon would be writing and directing a feature film based on the story. Landon went on to do Happy Death Day 2U and Freaky instead, but three and a half years after signing on for Ernest it looks like he has gotten the project into production. He celebrated the first day of filming on his Twitter account, revealing that the title of his new film is We Have a Ghost – which I do think is better than Ernest.
Manaugh's short story begins
with Jimmy Kimmel asking his TV audience if it wants to see a real ghost. That would be Ernest, so named by the homeowner who discovered him because the apparition looks a bit like Ernest Borgnine. The homeowner, Frank, begins filming his housebound ghost, and sending out the results to the world through social media. The spirit is mostly harmless, confused by his exploitation, but Ernest becomes a global viral sensation.
He conscripts high school senior Kevin to be part of a series of dinner parties held in the house to cash in on the ghost. This takes a sketchy turn when the teen, and the ghost, turn up missing, endangering Frank’s plans to monetize.
No information on Landon's adaptation has been revealed just yet, we don't even know the name of a single cast member, but the filmmaker did confirm that We Have a Ghost will be released through the Netflix streaming service.
We'll keep you updated on We Have a Ghost as it continues to move forward.
In addition to Happy Death Day 2U and Freaky, Landon's previous credits include writing the screenplays for Blood and Chocolate, Disturbia, Viral, and Paranormal Activity 2, 3, and 4, as well as directing Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, and the first Happy Death Day.