Eli Roth To Take Helm Of 'The Box'

[Friday, January 23rd, 2004]
Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) will take the helm of The Box, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Box is a psychological thriller loosely derived from an episode of CBS' 1980s revival of "The Twilight Zone." Which revolves around an unhappy married couple who receive a small wooden box on their doorstep. At the push of a button, the box brings its bearer instant wealth but also instantly kills someone the bearer doesn't know.

Roth will write the script with Richard Kelly, who made a name for himself as the writer/director of cult hit Donnie Darko. They will loosely adapt the screenplay from the Richard Matheson short story "Button, Button," which was the basis for a classic episode of the "Twilight Zone" revival. Kelly optioned the short story last year.

"Rich and I have very similar influences," said Roth. "We love Peter Jackson, David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino and the Olsen twins."

"The film is going to be a hybrid of psychological thriller, horror and black comedy," Kelly said, "and what will hopefully come out of that hybrid is the essence that Rod Serling created in the original 'Twilight Zone' and hasn't been seen since. More than anything, it's going to be a love letter to Rod and Richard Matheson."

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