Isabelle Fuhrman returning as Esther in Orphan prequel
By Carla Davis
The 2009 film Orphan is getting the prequel treatment 11 years after its release. Better yet, Isabelle Fuhrman is returning to the role of the title character Esther.
If you have seen Orphan, you probably remember it as a horror/thriller with an extremely shocking reveal involving the then 12-year-old Fuhrman. It was very successful at the box office, although it caused a stir due to its “psychopathic orphan” storyline. In fact, when the film was released on DVD, a pro-adoption public service announcement was included.
The announcement of a prequel titled Esther was first made in February of this year, as a joint venture between Canadian multi-national entertainment company eOne and Dark Castle Entertainment. Dark Castle is responsible for Orphan, 1999’s House on Haunted Hill, the remake of Thirteen Ghosts and Ghost Ship, among others.
William Brent Bell, who you may know from his other horror films, The Devil Inside, The Boy and Brahms: The Boy 2, is slated to direct.
Julia Stiles will be joining Isabelle Fuhrman in Orphan: First Kill, which tells “Esther’s” backstory, as she escapes from a psychiatric facility in Estonia and gets to America by impersonating the daughter of a wealthy man.
Since she made a sensation playing Esther in Orphan, Fuhrman has gone on to appear in The Hunger Games and Showtime’s Masters of Sex, and she will also be appearing in Escape Room 2 in January of next year.
With this being a prequel, it will be interesting to see how the creators of The Orphan: First Kill will restore Fuhrman to her 11-years-younger self. Deadline claims that “a combination of forced perspective shooting and a world-class makeup team” will bring the deadly Esther back to life.
The character of Esther will be pitted against a very protective mother, who it is presumed will be played by Julia Stiles. There is no anticipated release date as of yet, but filming of Orphan: First Kill has already begun in Winnipeg, Canada.
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Are you a fan of Orphan? Are you looking forward to seeing the return of Esther in the upcoming prequel? Tell us all about it in the comments section.