The new Hollywood thriller based on the life of Sarah Winchester, the enigmatic owner and mind behind the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, just landed a brand new release date and new title.
According to ScreenRant, it's now set to premiere on February 2nd of next year, a full three weeks earlier than its previous release date, February 23rd. On top of that, it's picked up a new name: Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built. It's more descriptive than its old title, which was just Winchester, and it's obviously a bit more evocative of the story we all know about the tourist attraction. As ScreenRant points out, it's interesting that they've moved the date up, as that's not a common move for horror movies. It's likely, though, that they're doing so to make sure that Winchester gets a chance at a good box office turn before Marvel's Black Panther dominates the box office the following week.
From the get-go, the directors, Michael and Peter Spierig, have been pretty forthcoming about this being a horror flick. Though any of your native Bay Area resident friends can tell you their own stories about the mansion that they've heard from their friends, it will be interesting to see what Hollywood's take on the California historical landmark will be. Judging by the plot summary, though, the story seems like it's going to be pretty sensationalized.
Inspired by true events. On an isolated stretch of land 50 miles outside of San Francisco sits the most haunted house in the world. Built by Sarah Winchester, (Academy Award®-winner Helen Mirren) heiress to the Winchester fortune, it is a house that knows no end. Constructed in an incessant twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week mania for decades, it stands seven stories tall and contains hundreds of rooms. To the outsider it looks like a monstrous monument to a disturbed woman’s madness. But Sarah is not building for herself, for her niece (Sarah Snook) or for the brilliant Doctor Eric Price (Jason Clarke) whom she has summoned to the house. She is building a prison, an asylum for hundreds of vengeful ghosts, and the most terrifying among them have a score to settle with the Winchesters
Failing everything else, it'll be lovely just to see Helen Mirren play Sarah Winchester, simply because it's great to see Helen Mirren in any movie.
Related: Filming Begins In San Jose For 'Winchester' Starring Helen Mirren
