‘Orphan’ Prequel in the Works With Isabelle Fuhrman Returning as Esther

A prequel film is in the works to the 2009 horror-thriller “Orphan,” and Isabelle Fuhrman, who played the duplicitous orphan girl Esther, will reprise her role in the new feature, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Julia Stiles will also star in the new film titled “Orphan: First Kill,” which is directed by William Brent Bell and is in production now in Winnipeg, Canada.

In “Orphan: First Kill,” previously just titled “Esther,” Fuhrman returns as the murderous sociopath from the original but follows her life before she assumed the identity of Esther. Fuhrman will play Leena Klammer, who escapes from an Estonian psychiatric facility and travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But Leena’s new life as Esther comes with an unexpected wrinkle and pits her against a mother who will protect her family at any cost. David Coggeshall wrote the script.

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Esther’s real identity in the original “Orphan” as an adult killer posing as a child was a major twist, but now that Fuhrman is older, the filmmakers will utilize a combination of forced perspective shooting and a world-class makeup team to make the real Fuhrmann appear younger and smaller again.

Entertainment One and Dark Castle are producing “Orphan: First Kill.” Dark Castle Entertainment’s Alex Mace, Hal Sadoff and Ethan Erwin will produce with James Tomlinson. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick will serve as an executive producer with Jen Gorton and Josie Liang overseeing for eOne. Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales.

Jaume Collet-Serra directed the original “Orphan,” which made $77.9 million at the worldwide box office.

Fuhrman will next be seen in “Escape Room 2,” set to release in January 2021, and she’s also starred in “The Hunger Games” and “Masters of Sex.” Stiles recently starred in “Hustlers” and on the series “Riviera.”

Stiles is represented by The Gersh Agency, Untitled Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern and Wolf Kasterler. Fuhrman is represented by UTA and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman.

Variety first reported the news.

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