Adding to "Slender Man's" growing portfolio is a titular movie to be produced by Screen Gems. (Photo : YouTube/SlenderTruth)
The popular horror meme "Slender Man" has inspired terrifying stories, a chilling video game and an upcoming documentary to be aired on HBO. Adding to "Slender Man's" growing portfolio is a titular movie to be produced by Screen Gems.
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Screen Gems is negotiating with Mythology Entertainment to bring the story of the "Slender Man" to the big screen. Madhouse Entertainment and It Is No Dream Entertainment is also on board with the project.
"13 Sins" screenwriter David Birke will pen the movie adaptation, with Bradley Fischer, William Sherak and James Vanderbilt producing.
What started as a Photoshop challenge in 2009 has become a major internet sensation. "Slender Man" was created by Eric Knudsen and was first seen on the website Something Awful. The character made his internet debut through photos where he was photoshopped in the background as children frolicked. The creepy figure is a tall man with abnormally long arms and wearing an all-black suit. He has a blank pale face - no eyes, ears, mouth and nose.
The "Slender Man" persona came with a horrifying background story, in which, it is said that he may or may not have been responsible for the mysterious disappearances of children and other terrifying incidents particularly in the woods.
While Slender Man is purely fictional, it inspired shocking real-life events. In 2014, a pair of 12-year-old girls from Wisconsin attacked their classmate in the woods out of fear that the Slender Man would come after their families if they did not execute the killing. The suspects, identified as Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, stabbed their classmate, Payton Leutner, 19 times and the victim was left to die in the woods. Miraculously, Leutner survived the attack and was able to crawl out of the woods before she was found by a passerby.
The attack was carefully planned over the course of five months, News.com.au reported. Police reports alleged that the offenders intended to kill their classmate because they believed it would bring them to Slender Man and be granted protection. It was also alleged that the purpose of the murder was to prove the figure's existence.
Meanwhile, there is still no confirmation as to the plot details of the "Slender Man" movie, although critics suggest that it would be inappropriate to base it on the real-life murder in 2014 that was inspired by the internet lore. However, the upcoming HBO documentary film, "Beware the Slender Man," centers on the said event.
Watch "Slender Man" short film below:
