Veteran moviemaker Wes Craven, whose genre landmarks include the Scream trilogy and the A Nightmare On Elm Street franchise, will make his next film as director for Rogue Pictures. Mr. Craven is currently writing the screenplay for the feature, a psychological thriller set in a small town and based on his own original concept, and will also produce the film.

Rogue co-presidents Andrew Karpen and Andrew Rona made the announcement , and also announced that Mr. Craven's newly formed production company, Midnight Entertainment, has made a two-year first-look production deal at Rogue. Mr. Craven's longtime producer Marianne Maddalena will run Midnight, which will produce modestly budgeted genre films that other filmmakers will direct.

Rogue will hold worldwide rights on Mr. Craven's new film, as well as on all Midnight projects, including the previously announced The Last House on the Left. The latter film, to be produced by Mr. Craven, and Ms. Maddalena and Sean S. Cunningham, is a remake of Mr. Craven's 1972 horror classic and is currently out to directors for a production start in early 2007.

As producers, Mr. Craven and Ms. Maddalena will continue to develop Gold Circle Films supernatural horror thriller The Waiting, to which Rogue holds domestic distribution rights and which preceded the formation of Midnight.

Projects that Mr. Craven writes and/or directs are not subject to the Rogue first-look pact, and are separate from his projects with Ms. Maddalena. In addition to the films she is producing with Mr. Craven, Ms. Maddalena will actively develop her own slate.

One of Mr. Craven's early works, The Hills Have Eyes, was recently remade; he produced the new version with Ms. Maddalena and Peter Locke. That film became a boxoffice hit earlier this year; a sequel, written by Mr. Craven and his son Jonathan, is in production for release by Fox Atomic in March. Martin Weisz is directing the sequel, which is again produced by Mr. Craven, Ms. Maddalena, and Mr. Locke.

Mr. Karpen and Mr. Rona said, Wes Craven is a leading director, one whose filmmaking skills are revered by genre fans and respected by the film community. His professionalism is known and admired throughout the industry. We re delighted that his Midnight Entertainment will be based here at Rogue.

Mr. Craven commented, Andrew Rona and I have a long history of working together, and I m delighted to be in business with him again and with Andrew Karpen. I look forward to making many fun and successful films at Rogue.

Rogue Pictures is devoted to producing and distributing high-quality suspense, action, thriller, comedy, and urban entertainment with mainstream appeal and franchise potential.