Stars of 1990s horror hit make shock claim about what happened after filming ended

It was a genre-defining horror movie that made millions at the box office — but the film’s stars claim they barely saw a cent of it.

The Blair Witch Project, released in 1999, was a low-budget surprise success which told the fictional tale of three student filmmakers who ventured into the Maryland woods and never returned.

All that’s left behind is their shaky, hand-held camera footage, which forms the basis of the movie itself.

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The three students were played by Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams and Joshua Leonard, but in a new interview with Variety, the trio claimed they were barely paid for their work.

The film, directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, first premiered at Sundance Film Festival.

Heather Donahue in a scene from the film 'The Blair Witch Project', 1999.Heather Donahue in a scene from the film 'The Blair Witch Project', 1999.
Heather Donahue in a scene from the film ‘The Blair Witch Project’, 1999. Credit: Lauren Film/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

It was picked up by Artisan Entertainment for $A1.6 million but went on to gross more than $A300 million globally at the box office.

A sequel was made in 2016 and a third film is currently in production.

However, the actors were ordered to lie low after the original film’s release because the footage was marketed as being real rather than a piece of fiction.

Donahue and Leonard told Variety Artisan had barred their agents from booking jobs for them after the film’s release because they weren’t “supposed to be alive”.

But when the low-budget film started amassing money, they learnt the only thanks they would receive was in the form of a fruit basket.

“That’s when it became clear that, wow, we were not going to get anything,” Donahue said.

“We were being cut out of something that we were intimately involved with creating.”

The film was marketed as a true story about three students who disappeared in the woods. The film was marketed as a true story about three students who disappeared in the woods.
The film was marketed as a true story about three students who disappeared in the woods. Credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

Donahue told The New York Times the trio were compensated for two weeks of work — during which time they had to learn how to use the hand-held cameras that defined the film’s look — with a payment of $A1500 each.

Leonard stated in an Instagram post on April 11 the trio received a further $A455,000 in lieu of residual payments (a fee paid whenever a piece of work gets re-used).

Williams said he was “embarrassed” the film’s success had not translated into financial success for its three stars.

“I’m embarrassed that I let this happen to me,” he told Variety.

“You’re in the most successful independent movie of all time, and you can’t take care of your loved ones.

“Giant corporations don’t care that this happens to young artists.

“It’s bull****, and that’s got to change somehow.”

Joshua Leonard shoots the harrowing five-day journey through the Black Hills Forest in the low-budget thriller The Blair Witch Project.Joshua Leonard shoots the harrowing five-day journey through the Black Hills Forest in the low-budget thriller The Blair Witch Project.
Joshua Leonard shoots the harrowing five-day journey through the Black Hills Forest in the low-budget thriller The Blair Witch Project. Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images

With a new “reboot” in the works, Williams, Leonard and Donahue have sent an open letter to Lionsgate (the company that eventually acquired Artisan Entertainment) requesting “meaningful consultation” on future projects.

“Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective,” the letter read, a per Metro UK.

“Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team.

“As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love and want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far unutilised secret weapon!”

It’s understood the trio are in negotiations with SAG-AFTRA, who are trying to broker a compensation settlement for the trio.

The directors of the original Blair Witch Project declined to comment for the Variety story.

Dan Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, co-writers, co-directors and co-editors of The Blair Witch Project.Dan Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, co-writers, co-directors and co-editors of The Blair Witch Project.
Dan Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, co-writers, co-directors and co-editors of The Blair Witch Project. Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images

However, on the film’s 25th anniversary, they did release a joint statement saying it was unbelievable that The Blair Witch Project, a film “made by a group of total Hollywood outsiders,” was still being talked about.

“We’re hopeful Heather, Joshua and Mike find a satisfying conclusion to their conversations with Lionsgate,” the statement read.

“For us, this anniversary provides an exciting opportunity to celebrate the movie and its legacy with fans.”

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