Sam Raimi turns to family fare

Director Sam Raimi,associated with horror films such as The Evil Dead and Drag Me to Hell, along with Spider-Man blockbusters, plans to makescary movies aimed at family audiences.

His studio Ghost House is launching a new label, Spooky Pictures.

The first picture is to be The Substitute, about a Grade 6 class where the new substitute teacher turns out to be an evil alien being.

Scott Derrickson, who previously directed The Exorcism of Emily Rose, will helm The Substitute, which is a remake of a Danish thriller by Ole Bornedal. Columbia Pictures is also backing the project and Raimi will produce.

Ghost House is not the only studio looking to create scary stories for kids.

Guillermo del Toro, creator of Hellboy, has a deal with Disney to produce animated horror films under the label Double Dare You. The first film by that franchise will be Trollhunters, based on an original story by del Toro.