Casting calls have begun for the adaptation of H.P Lovecraft’s The Thing on the Doorstep, reports Bloody Disgusting. Stuart Gordon is set to direct the feature film, based around a screenplay written by Dennis Paoli. Shooting will begin April 14, 2008 on this flick. An official plot summary has been given as well, which I’ll provide below. It should also be noted that Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness is also getting an adaptation to the big screen by Guillermo del Toro since both of these stories fall within the Cthulhu Mythos genre of his works.
Beware, there are spoilers in these casting calls…
SYNOPSIS: Psychiatrist EDWARD DERBY becomes obsessed with the beautiful, terrified ASENATH WAITE, who claims that her father EPHRAIM is trying to take over her body with his mind. Despite causing considerable heartache to his devoted wife KATIE, Edward winds up having a sexual liaison with Asenath, which triggers the transfer of Ephriam’s soul from Asenath’s body to his own. Aware that he’s descending into madness but powerless to stop it, Edward consults his best friend, fellow shrink DANIEL MEYER, who fails to believe Edward’s story until it’s too late.
DR. EDWARD DERBY: 35-45 years old, handsome, confident, a successful psychiatrist, happily married to Katie, Edward is fascinated with a new patient, a lovely young woman named Asenath Waite, who believes that her abusive father is trying to take over her body. Initially convinced, of course, that Asenath is suffering from traumatic multiple personality disorders, Edward becomes so attracted to her beauty, her vulnerability and her need, that he becomes obsessed with her. Edward winds up believing that Asenath’s body is inhabited by the mind of her dying father. Then Edward himself is taken over by the same migrating entity. At times Edward, at times the evil personality of her father, the real Edward descends into madness and murder in an effort to keep the excruciating transmigration from finally wiping out his soul altogether…LEAD (3) STAR NAMES ONLY
ASENATH WAITE: In her 20’s, with a fresh, startling beauty, a lovely body, and remarkable, piercing eyes, Asenath is wan, nervous and fearful when she first comes in desperation to psychiatrist – Edward Derby, convinced that her father is trying to take over her body with his mind. At times genuinely a terrified young woman, at times a foul-mouthed, sexual, evil entity, the vulnerable, needy, frightened Asenath truly fascinates Edward, both personally and professionally. She is, in fact, telling the truth about her father’s transmigration of his soul into her body, but it goes beyond that when the entity uses Asenath’s body to get to Edward’s. Asenath, though physically herself, is actually inhabited by, and behaving like Edward, who is desperate to save his wife from the demon that’s now inhabiting his body. Ultimately, there is little left of the true Asenath, her body alternately inhabited by her father, Edward, and herself…LEAD (7) STAR NAMES ONLY / NUDITY REQUIRED.
DR. DANIEL MEYER: 35-50, a successful psychiatrist, professional, level-headed, compassionate, Daniel is helping his good friend, fellow psychiatrist Edward Derby, through a terrifying bout with what seems like madness to Daniel. Determined to help Edward, who saw him through a nervous breakdown years ago, Daniel listens to his bizarre story of transmigration of the mind into different bodies, but because of his training he, like Edward, assumes that beautiful young Asenath Waite is suffering from multiple personality disorder. Shocked and horrified by Asenath’s horrific murder at the hands of Edward, Daniel himself ultimately winds up believing that Asenath and Edward’s stories are true when he too is taken over by the evil entity…LEAD (1) STAR NAMES ONLY
KATIE DERBY: 30-40, Edward’s wife, loving, a little insecure, Katie adores her husband and has to work a bit to keep from being jealous of his professional interest in a beautiful young patient (though to her credit, Katie correctly interprets Edward’s interest in Asenath Waite as more than professional). Aware that her husband is going through a difficult time but determined to be there for him, Katie is devastated by his admission of infidelity with Asenath, and throws him out of the house. Unaware that, when Edward returns, it’s really the evil entity of Ephraim that’s inhabiting his body, Katie succumbs to “Edward’s” rough sexual liaison with her–and loves it. Convinced that she and Edward are on the right track, Katie is further distraught and anguished when the real Edward returns and decides they must end their relationship…LEAD (17) STAR NAMES ONLY / NUDITY REQUIRED
EPHRAIM WAITE: 50-70 years old, sick, riddled with cancer and heart disease, afflicted with a claw-like hand from a previous stroke, Ephraim Waite is the foul-mouthed father of Asenath Waite, the beautiful young woman who comes to Dr. Edward Derby claiming her father is trying to inhabit her body with his mind. Despite his failing body, Ephraim is a powerful, mysterious, charismatic being, who is in fact a warolock, using magical powers to project his soul into a healthy young body. Possibly an ancient entity who’s been body-hopping for years, Ephraim appears to have harnessed the powers of ancient texts to facilitate his own transmigration, which he successfully pulls off, shifting his soul into the bodies of first Asenath, and then Edward and Daniel, while his own body falls apart…LEAD (32) STAR NAMES ONLY
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