Blumhouse Productions and Platinum Dunes have finally settled on a director for the as-yet-untitled Purge 4. With the help of franchise creator/writer James DeMonaco, the companies have settled on Gerard McMurray to helm the next installment in the social commentary-filled, politically-charged dystopian thriller franchise. Long rumored to be a prequel centered around the first Purge, the film is currently slated to hit theaters next summer.
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“I have not seen a film as confidently directed in a long time as Burning Sands, and I’m excited to see Gerard’s own expression of the Purge world,” said DeMonaco, who is also working on bringing the world of Purge to television (simultaneously with the new film) in a series produced by Blumhouse and Universal Cable Productions.
McMurray gained notoriety with his indie drama Burning Sands, which took Sundance by storm earlier this year. Sands centers around a group of young African-American men pledging a fraternity at Frederick Douglas University who endure hazing and must choose whether or not to report it. It is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
While DeMonaco has stepped down from the director’s chair on this installment, he remains on board as both screenwriter and producer. He is joined by returning producers Jason Blum, Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form, and Sebastien K. Lemercier. Universal remains on board as distributor. Production on the film is expected to begin later this year, ahead of its planned July 4th, 2018 release.
