Poltergeist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre director takes on horror to shoot in UAE.

Veteran horror director Tobe Hooper has taken the reins on Imagenation Abu Dhabi’s upcoming horror Djinn.

Djinn tells the story of a young Emirati couple who return home from the US to discover that their new luxury apartment is also home to malevolent spirits.

Written by David Tully, the film is set to begin shooting in the United Arab Emirates on March 20.

Hooper, whose credits include horror classics The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Salem’s Lot, Poltergeist and Lifeforce, said: “The horror genre speaks an international language and I am so pleased to be involved in a project with Imagenation Abu Dhabi that will transcend cultures and borders. Simply put, this movie will scare everyone, no matter where you live or what you believe in.”

The American director’s latest, Mortuary, was released in 2005.

Imagenation Abu Dhabi Vice President of Development, and Djinn producer, Daniela Tully added: “From the very beginning, Tobe was at the top of our list to take the reign of this project.The horror genre has rarely been explored in this region, and Tobe’s involvement will not only leave a lasting impact in the Arab world, but will also carry Djinn into international markets.”

Emirati short film director Nayla Al Khaja will shadow Hooper on set in preparation to soot her first feature horror.

Imagenation’s Emirati slate includes coming of age story Sea Shadow, which recently wrapped principal photography in Abu Dhabi.

Founded in 2008, Imagenation is the film production and financing subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Media Company.

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