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‘Slender Man’ Movie Finds Director in Sylvain White

Sony’s Screen Gems has tapped “Stomp the Yard” director Sylvain White for its “Slender Man” horror movie, based on the supernatural character who stalks, abducts and traumatizes people.

Screen Gems began negotiations last May to acquire feature film rights from Mythology Entertainment, Madhouse Entertainment and No Dream Entertainment. Producers are planning to start shooting by the spring.

Producers of the “Slender Man” movie are Bradley Fischer, James Vanderbilt and William Sherak for Mythology; Madhouse’s Robyn Meisinger; and No Dream’s Sarah Snow. Executive producers are Tracey Nyberg, Louis Sallerson, Adam Kolbrenner and Ryan Cunningham.

Slender Man is a tall, thin figure with unnaturally long arms and a featureless face. The figure first appeared on the Internet in 2009 as a submission in a photoshop contest in which users were challenged to edit everyday photographs to appear paranormal.

A forum poster with the user name “Victor Surge” contributed two black and white images of groups of children and added a spectral figure wearing a black suit. He wrote under one of the photographs: “He is thought to be responsible for the haunting, stalking, and disappearance of countless children and teens.”

White directed dance drama “Stomp the Yard” in 2007 for Screen Gems. The film was a solid performer with $75 million in worldwide grosses on a $13 million budget.

White’s credits include the 2013 French film “The Mark of Angels — Miserere” and the 2010 film “The Losers.” He’s repped by UTA and Principato-Young. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.

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