The fortunes of the revitalised Hammer studio were significantly increased when The Woman in Black became the highest grossing British Horror Film for many years, a much-needed success story to restate Executive Media’s claim to the Hammer name and legacy. Today sees an announcement concerning their recent film which is both expected and unexpected.

Sequels in the Horror genre are ten a penny-dreadful, and the Hammer of old threw out sequels like an errant catherine wheel, so the news that a sequel to The Woman in Black is now in development should not come as much of a surprise. However the news that Susan Hill, author of the original novel, has crafted the story herself is an indication that this may not be another by-the-numbers sequel.

The new film, subtitled Angels fo Death, will pick up the story forty years after the events of the first film, with Eel Marsh House once again playing host to the night terrors. It seems like a fairly regular route to take, and my hope is that it won’t be simply another re-telling of the first film. Jon Croker is writing the screenplay based on Susan Hill’s story.

It’s no surprise that Hammer’s film is getting a sequel, I’m hoping the real surprise is that the new film will be as good, or better, than the first.

Here’s the full press release with a lot of very excited people talking about the project,

‘THE WOMAN IN BLACK: ANGELS OF DEATH’ MARKS NEXT INSTALLMENT IN HAMMER’S ‘THE WOMAN IN BLACK’ SERIES

Hammer, Alliance Films, and Cross Creek Pictures re-team with acclaimed author Susan Hill on follow-up to The Woman In Black

2nd April 2012:  Simon Oakes, Vice-Chairman of Exclusive Media and President & CEO of Hammer and Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, Co-Chairmen of Exclusive Media, Hammer’s parent company, announced today that Hammer and Talisman are in development on Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black: Angels Of Death, a new film which continues the story of The Woman in Black 40 years on.

The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe and directed by James Watkins (Eden Lake) has become the highest grossing British horror film of the past 20 years, grossing over $33 million in the UK and recently crossing the $120 million box office mark worldwide.

Screenwriter Jon Croker (Desert Dancer) is now developing the screenplay for the next instalment in the series, The Woman in Black: Angels Of Death, based on an original story by Hill, under development for the past few years and now complete.

The Woman in Black was set in the early 1900’s and based on the tale of a young lawyer who is ordered to travel to a remote corner of the UK, to sort out the papers of a recently deceased client. In the eerie setting of Eel Marsh House he discovers the vengeful ghost of The Woman in Black.  This next instalment, The Woman in Black: Angels Of Death, will continue this story four decades later and focus on the concept of a couple and the experience they have when they encounter the haunted setting of Eel Marsh House.

The Woman in Black: Angels Of Death will be brought to the big screen by the same production team behind The Woman In Black. The Film will be produced by Exclusive Media, Talisman, Cross Creek Pictures and Alliance Films, in addition to Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment, who will serve as Executive Producer.

Simon Oakes, Vice-Chairman of Exclusive Media and President & CEO of Hammer Films said: “We are proud and honoured to be working with Susan again on The Woman in Black: Angels Of Death, a wonderful new tale every bit as atmospheric and terrifying as its predecessor The Woman in Black.”

Nigel Sinclair Co-Chairman and CEO of Exclusive Media added: “It’s thrilling to be able to work with someone of Susan’s literary calibre on such a fascinating project. It’s also fantastic to have Jon on board again to help bring this new story to life on the big screen.”