Matt Reeves does more vampire stuff by directing The Passage

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Those of you looking for fresh material or a CLOVERFIELD sequel from Matt Reeves might have to wait for awhile.

Deadline reports that Reeves will be helming an adaptation of a novel titled, THE PASSAGE. The the bestselling novel by Justin Cronin is about an experiment that goes awry and creates a swarm of bloodthirsty vampires that brings the world to the brink of extinction. Fox acquired the book in 2007 for about $3 million right after Cronin made a 3-book deal for $3.75 million based on the first 400 pages of the book and an outline for a novel series.

Reeves has already tackled vampires and will soon be tackling his own adaptation of Ray Nelson’s short story “8 O’Clock in the Morning”, which is also the inspiration for THEY LIVE. Deadline states that the tone is closer to, “28 DAYS LATER and THE STAND than LET THE RIGHT ONE IN or the TWILIGHT Saga.” Reeves will supervise a rewrite of the original script with John Logan (THE LAST SAMURAI). Logan is now busy scripting the new Bond film, so a new writer will be brought in.

It is unclear whether Reeves will which film will be up first, but it’s likely that it will be this one since Reeves is writing the adaptation of “8 O’Clock in the Morning” solo. Here’s so more detail on the plot of the novel:

“In The Passage, a group of terminally ill cancer patients get healthy after being subjected to the bites of bats in South America. Naturally, the government see this as a cure for the disease and starts experimenting. They end up with a legion of nearly indestructible, telepathic vampire masters that begin infecting the populace.”