Almost exactly two years ago, Sony Pictures brought on filmmaker Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon) to direct their upcoming The Craft follow-up, and to co-write the script with her writing partner Phil Graziadei. We haven't heard much on this project until now, with the studio bringing on Daniel Casey (10 Cloverfield Lane) to rewrite the script. It is believed that the studio bringing in this new writer is an indication that they're eager to move forward and get production rolling.

The Tracking Board broke the news earlier today, but it isn't ultimately clear if Daniel Casey is starting from scratch with a page-one rewrite, or if elements of Leigh Janiak and Phil Graziadei's script will remain intact. Leigh Janiak is still attached to direct, with producer Douglas Wick revealing last May that The Craft 2 isn't a reboot, but instead a sequel that takes place 20 years after the original movie, set in modern day. With a new writer on board, it remains unclear whether or not this concept will remain intact or not.

The Craft wasn't exactly a box office juggernaut when it hit theaters in May 1996, pulling in just $24.6 million during its theatrical run, but it gained quite the cult following upon its release on home video. The story centered on four friends, Bonnie (Neve Campbell), Nancy (Fairuza Balk), Rochelle (Rachel True), and Sarah (Robin Tunney), who form their own witch coven while attending the Angeles Catholic prep high school, where they use their powers against fellow classmates who'd done them wrong. The supporting cast included Skeet Ulrich, Christine Taylor, Breckin Meyer and Cliff De Young.

This report reveals that Sony Pictures was impressed by Leigh Janiak's take on the material, which focuses on female empowerment. No production schedule has been set at this time, so it remains to be seen when casting may begin, or when Sony may set a release date for this supernatural sequel. Doug Wick is set to produce The Craft alongside Lucy Fisher, who was a high-ranking Columbia Pictures executive when the first movie was released. It remains to be seen if original Craft director Andrew Fleming or his co-writer Peter Filardi will be involved with this project or not.

Although he didn't ultimately get screen credit, Daniel Casey was one of the writers, along with Damien Chazelle, who helped turn the languishing film known as The Cellar into the low-budget hit 10 Cloverfield Lane, which starred Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr. He is already working with Sony Pictures on a new thriller called Incognito for director Fede Alvarez, and he was recently hired to write Inconstant Moon for director James Ponsoldt and producer Shawn Levy, based on Larry Niven's short story. Hopefully we'll have more on The Craft soon, now that a new writer is tackling the project.