Hammer Films’ gothic scarefest The Woman in Black was an undeniable hit back in 2012. The big screen adaptation of Susan Hill’s eerie novel pulled in close to $130 million at the international box office and managed to strike a chord with its native audience in the UK. Moreover, it comfortably shepherded Daniel Radcliffe away from the shackles of a certain boy wizard and allowed him to stretch his acting muscles as a competent leading man. (The latter point is debatable, but we digress.)
That said, the young British actor won’t feature in the upcoming sequel, The Woman in Black: Angel of Death, which is to be distributed by Relativity Media in North America following a recent deal penned during the Toronto International Film Festival. According to Deadline, the partnership between the studios is said to be north of seven-figures.
In Radcliffe’s stead, the horror sequel will star War Horse’s Jeremy Irvine in the lead role along with Helen McCrory and Phoebe Fox. Set some forty years after the event of the first film, Angel of Death will primarily take place in and around the events of World War II, a time where a group of city dwellers have sought refugee in one Eel Marsh house only to discover some of the mansion’s darkest secrets.
Currently, The Woman in Black: Angel of Death is in post-production and is being overseen by Misfits director Tom Harper. With Relativity’s financial backing, it’s expected that the follow-up to the 2012 smash hit will release sometime in 2015.
