Jamie Campbell Bower – you know him best for his work as the Stranger Things’ villain Vecna – will star for director Chuck Russell in a new version of the ‘80s fright franchise Witchboard. Russell and Greg McKay wrote the script and are producing with Kade Vu and Bernie Gewissler, in an A-Nation Media production. The film shoots in May in Montreal and New Orleans, as per the report of Deadline.

Emily, her fiancé Christian and a group of their friends open an organic café, refurbishing an old carriage house in New Orleans’ French Quarter. But a darkness descends over Emily when she discovers an ancient pendulum board, once used to summon spirits. Christian seeks help for Emily from occult expert Alexander Babtiste, but Babtiste has secrets of his own, knowing the fateful bloodlines that binds them all to the Witchboard. A modern coven of White Witches, a masked ball at Babtiste’s mansion, and the legacy of Naga Soth, the Queen of Witches, are all part of a dangerous game that puts Emily’s very soul at risk.

Pic is casting up and Eric Schiermeyer, Sarah Buxton, John Paul Isham, and Walter Josten are exec producers.

“There is a tradition in cinema of great English actors that have the charisma we associate with stardom as well as the acting chops to truly be a chameleon, playing a variety of character types,” Russell said. “Jamie Campbell Bower is that kind of actor and his time is now.”     

Russell’s genre efforts include his remake of The Blob, and Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors,  to go along with The Mask, The Scorpion King and Eraser. He intends to go beyond the original IP with a deeper storyline, high intensity scares and imaginative visuals. 

Bower most recently co-starred in the first leg of the Kevin Costner-directed Western Horizon, alongside Sam Worthington and Sienna Miller.

Bower last May released the single “Run On”, and made his directorial debut for the accompanying music video. He followed with the singles “I Am” and “Devil In Me.”

Russell is repped by Peter Grossman, Lichter Grossman Nichols & Adler; Gewissler is UTA and Bower is Paradigm, 42, 5bAM and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.