Don't Be Afraid of the Dark will be released in Australia in August following a long delay caused by the sale of Disney's Miramax Films.
Hopscotch Films has acquired the local distribution rights for the Melbourne-shot horror film, originally held by Disney before it sold its Miramax Films division to private investors last year. In the US, the R-rated film will be released by FilmDistrict on August 12.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, produced by Guillermo del Toro and starring Guy Pearce and Katie Holmes, is a remake of a 1970s TV horror film.
Hopscotch managed the local distribution of del Toro's Pan’s Labyrinth, which grossed more than $2.13 million across 52 screens at its widest release in early-2007.
“It’s great to be continuing our relationship with Del Toro after the remarkable success we had together with Pan’s Labyrinth," Hopscotch managing director Troy Lum said in a statement.
"It’s also great to be involved with such a high-class film that has such significant local involvement. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is a brilliantly realised dark fantasy and we are proud to be releasing it.”
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark follows Sally Hurst (Bailee Madison), a lonely, withdrawn child who moves in with her father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Katie Holmes) in a 19th century mansion. Sally discovers a hidden basement and unwittingly lets loose a race of ancient, dark-dwelling creatures who conspire to drag her down in the mysterious house’s bottomless depths.
Check out the teaser trailer here.