Last year, horror fans were treated to the surprising announcement that a prequel to the 2009 psychological thriller Orphan was in the work, with Isabelle Fuhrman set to return as the terrifying Esther. Fuhrman is now 24 years old, leaving many to wonder how she will once again play the role of the adult killer who disguises herself as a child.

Well, Orphan: First Kill director William Brent Bell has now provided some insight into how they plan to resurrect Esther all these years later. Bloody Disgusting was the first to break this news.

"For me it's like, we know the secret of the first film, so the fun of bringing Isabelle Fuhrman back into the role - which was a whole process to get approved - that is a challenge in and of itself. And likewise, not doing modern CGI... I mean, we use digital, we use CGI to help us... but not to create her at all. It's all old school techniques: forced perspective, camera angles, where we put the light."

William Brent Bell continues, revealing that the prequel will offer some understanding as to Esther's motivations, while still allowing her to have fun. Of course, her idea of fun does not bode well for the rest of the characters...

"That's a character that I love so much [and] I really want to be respectful to the audience who love that first film, and expand on who she is as a character. To be able to kind of understand her better. But at the same time have as much fun with her as we did in the first movie... and then some. And to have it be Isabelle again... it's so cool."

Aside from Esther's return, Brent Bell also teased the tone of the upcoming prequel, and it should all sound very promising to fans of the first Orphan.

"The movie has a very childlike quality in some ways, but it's also extremely violent at other times. Because she's a violent psychopath. The movie is turning out just awesome. [Esther] is this very romantic person who so much wants love and then when she doesn't get it, a different side of her comes out. And it's brutal. So the movie really plays both of those sides really well. So it has a really big heart for her, but it also has a real... super dark side."

Released in 2009, the first Orphan was a moderate success at the box office, grossing $78 million worldwide against a $20 million budget. The movie was not particularly well-liked by critics, and currently holds an approval rating of 56% based on 154 reviews, however, Fuhrman's central performance was lauded, with many critics heaping praise on her terrifying presence and hailing her as a villainous icon for the modern age of horror.

Orphan: First Kill will follow Fuhrman's Esther, who in the movie is living under the name Leena Klammer, as she orchestrates a brilliant escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility and travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. But Leena's new life as 'Esther' comes with an unexpected wrinkle and pits her against a mother who will protect her family at any cost.Orphan: First Kill does not yet have a release date. This comes to us from BD's Boo Crew Podcast.