Stan Lee & Lloyd Kaufman’s ‘Night of the Witch’ Enters Pre-Production After 50+ Years [Exclusive]

In 1969, Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee and future The Toxic Avenger filmmaker Lloyd Kaufman conceived a socially-charged supernatural horror film titled Night of the Witch.

By 1971, the duo had completed the first draft, which follows a Mexican-American girl who comes under suspicion of witchcraft on the bicentennial of a historic witch trial. For over half a century, the project struggled to find the proper home — until now.

At long last, Night of the Witch has entered pre-production through filmmaker Joe Manco’s Little Spark Films.

Manco is set to direct from a script he co-wrote with Kaufman, who serves as executive producer. The pair detail their collaboration in our exclusive video below.

Xander McCabe (VFW) is producing with Manco and his Little Spark partner Catalina Querida. Novelist Preston Fassel (Our Lady of the Inferno) will co-produce along with Walt Crowell as associate producer.

“It’s a very powerful story,” says Manco. “Once you see what Lloyd is trying to say in his scripts, you figure out the meaning behind it all; the message. That’s what I’m most concerned with. Night of the Witch is just as relevant today as it was in 1970 — maybe even more so —and our mission is to make it hit harder, to make it more brutal, and to remind people these same battles have been fought for decades.”

“I know talent when I see it — my record proves it — and Joe is the right filmmaker to finally bring this story to life,” adds Kaufman. “Just as I handed Toxie’s mop to Macon Blair at Comic-Con, I’m handing Night of the Witch to Joe Manco. He’s ready, more than ready, to carry that torch and finally make this film.”

Night of the Witch is aiming to shoot next year in Dallas and the surrounding North Texas region, taking advantage of new state film incentives.

While some financing is in place to start pre-production, Manco is hopeful that news of the project will excite potential investors to come on board.

In addition to Night of the Witch, Little Spark plans to release a documentary about the production titled Passing the Torch.

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