Orphan prequel Esther to be directed by William Brent Bell

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Here's one I didn't see coming at all. So many years down the line from the release of the "homicidal 30-something pretends to be a 9-year-old" classic ORPHAN, I never would have imagined we'd ever see another chapter in the life of that "little girl" called Esther. But now it's happening. A prequel to ORPHAN is now in the works, and THE BOY / BRAHMS: THE BOY II director William Brent Bell has signed on to take the helm. 

Written by David Coggeshall, the prequel is titled ESTHER and has the following synopsis: 

Lena Klammer orchestrates a brilliant escape from a Russian psychiatric facility and travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But Lena’s new life as “Esther” comes with an unexpected wrinkle and pits her against a mother who will protect her family at any cost. 

ORPHAN screenwriter David Leslie Johnson will be executive producing this prequel. The film is being produced by James Tomlinson and Dark Castle Entertainment's Alex Mace, Hal Sadoff, and Ethan Erwin. Jen Gorton and Josie Liang will oversee the project for eOne.

July will mark the eleventh anniversary of ORPHAN'S theatrical release. ESTHER is expected to go into production around that same time. 

If only they had made this movie ten years ago, Isabelle Fuhrman could have played Esther again. Now they're going to have to find a new Esther.