This past October 19th, writer Geoff Manaugh posted a short story called ERNEST, "a socially mediated ghost story", on Vice.com. Just over a month later, Legendary have emerged as the victors of an auction for the film rights to ERNEST, beating out the likes of Amblin, Studio 8, Sony, and Fox 2000.
Christopher Landon is signed on to write the screenplay adaptation and direct the feature, which is being produced by Dan Halsted and Nate Miller. The 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.
Most of Landon's credits are in the horror and thriller genres. He has written the screenplays for BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE, DISTURBIA, VIRAL, and PARANORMAL ACIVITY 2, 3, and 4, in addition to directing PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONES, SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, and this year's hit HAPPY DEATH DAY.
ERNEST sounds like it will be a fun addition to Landon's genre résumé. If you'd like to read the short story, it's still up on Vice.