Horror franchise 'Cabin Fever' getting two more sequels

Credit: Lion's Gate Films

Becoming a surprise hit on its release in September 2002 - in part thanks to a high-profile endorsement from director Peter Jackson and some better-than-average reviews - Eli Roth's "Cabin Fever" ultimately went on to gross over $33 million on a $1.5 million budget and launched the then-unknown horror director's career. Nevertheless, in 2009 the franchise appeared to have run its course when a belated direct-to-DVD sequel helmed by Ti West (who requested to have his name removed from the film after additional footage was added by the producers) was released to relatively little fanfare.

Nevertheless, it's now being reported that production/distribution company The Indomina Group has picked up the option for two new (presumably DTV sequels), to be titled "Cabin Fever: Patient Zero" and "Cabin Fever: Outbreak". "Patient Zero" will center on a group of cruise ship passengers who are suddenly afflicted with the flesh-eating virus from the first two movies after their boat collides with an abandoned research vessel in the Caribbean, while "Outbreak" will have a doctor and his family attempting to prevent a worldwide pandemmic after they travel to a secluded Caribbean island to find that the residents there have been afflicted with the dreaded virus.

"Patient Zero" will be penned by Jake Wade Wall ("When a Stranger Calls", "The Hitcher") while "Outbreak" is being written by Adam and Debra Marcus (who collaborated on the upcoming "Texas Chainsaw" sequel "Leatherface 3D"). Indomina is planning to shoot the films back-to-back next spring.

“We see tremendous potential with the ‘Cabin Fever’ franchise,” said Jasbinder Singh Mann, the Vice Chairman and CEO of Indomina Group, in a statement. “We are committing to two new ‘Cabin Fever’ films because there is a real demand from a devout fanbase – not just ‘Cabin Fever’ die hards but a large and vocal group of horror fans around the world. Indomina is excited to take the reigns of the franchise and deliver on these next two films.”

The Indomina Group is a U.S. and Dominican Republic-based company (hence the "Caribbean" element in the plot of both upcoming movies) that, among other films, gave the Ryan Kwanten-starring rom-com "Griff the Invisible" a limited Stateside release back in August. They're also developing a live-action version of "Afro Samurai" produced by Samuel L. Jackson.