Precious film-maker Lee Daniels will direct the “true life” tale of a woman whose family have supposedly been possessed by demonic spirits, reports Deadline.
Daniels, also known for The Butler and The Paperboy, is planning a thriller based on claims by Indiana mother Latoya Ammons that she and her three children have been the target of evil spirits for the past two years.
Ammons claims her family have been seen speaking in tongues since she moved into the property in the town of Gary and says they also witnessed a black monster. The demons are said to live in the cellar of the house, which has been visited by tabloid journalists from across the world.
Local authorities and police appear to believe Ammons’ story, with one officer reportedly describing the basement as a “portal to hell”. According to production company Relativity, incidents supposedly witnessed include Ammons’ eldest daughter levitating unconscious above her bed, her middle son gliding up walls and ceilings and her youngest son attempting to strangle his brother with no recollection of the incident.
It is not clear if Daniels will take a sceptical or open-minded approach to the subject matter. The director will shoot the film, which has a working title of Demon House, after securing the life rights to Ammons’ story.
Daniels, whose 2009 film Precious saw Mo’Nique take home the best supporting actress Oscar for her turn as a neglectful mother, is currently working on a biopic of the comic Richard Pryor which is expected to star Mike Epps in the lead.
