Actress Anna Chazelle has been signed by Fangoria Studios to write and direct their upcoming mythological horror film, based on theGreek legend of Medusa. The film will be produced by Tara Ansley, Armen Aghaeian, and Abhi Goel of Fangoria Studios, and Phil Wurtzel (Friel Films) will be presiding over as the Executive Producer, along with Chazelle.
This upcoming mythological horror film fromFangoriaexplores Medusa’s tale like never before, focusing on and justifying her rage. It sort of maps her reasoning behind turning into the ‘demon’ she has always been projected as. Anna Chazelle shares her thoughts about the character in the film.
“It’s easy to demonize Medusa, but her story is filled with justifiable feminine rage, both at the gods who created her and the mortals who seek to destroy her… I’m excited to dive into the tale of hernascence into the Greek pantheon, and hopefully challenge the widely-accepted definition of Medusa as a mere monster.”
Armen Aghaeian, the Senior Vice President of Fangoria Studios, added her two cents about the upcoming film:
“Medusa is a global icon, yet her story has been overlooked for far too long… Anna’s interpretation of Medusa against the backdrop of Ancient Greece will make for a cinematic journey to remember.”
The character of Medusa has long sinceundergone various shifts in interpretation, to the point where the popular mythological discussion has established her more as a rebel, than a monster. Popular discourse justifies her rage towards both Gods and mortals, often from a feminist angle.
One of three Gorgon sisters, Medusa could turn anyone to stone with her gaze. She was ultimately defeated by the demigod Perseus, who used her head as a weapon before giving it to the goddess Athena. Since then, Medusa’s head found a permanent place on Athena’s shield.
The character has featured in popular culture over the years, notably in the 2010 filmPercy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, and in the 2018 video gameAssassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Sister of theLa La Landdirector Damien Chazelle, Anna has previously had experience directing films for a while now, starting with the 2014 short film,The Pitch. The actress also starred in her own horror filmNarrow, which was both written and directed by her.Narrowpremiered at the Fantasia Film Festiva and was an official selection at the HollyShorts Film Festival. Her upcoming directorial venture, apart from the aforementioned project, is the filmAnemone.From the house of Arclight Studios, this is also a project where she has featured as the writer.
