THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS Trailer

Another children’s book is coming to the big screen, and as an explanation for its wordy title, the plot isn’t easy to sum up. There is a clock and it is in the walls of a house, but that’s just scratching the surface. The clock, you see, has the power to end the world, and so it’s imperative that the good witch and warlock locate it before the evil witch gets her hands on it.

This is the magical battle a young boy is dropped into after the death of his parents, joining his uncle and a friendly neighbor (the good ones, of course) in a search he’s not really equipped to handle. Yes, the stakes are big, but rest assured that this is still family-friendly fare.

And when you think of family-friendly movies, I’m sure you think of director Eli Roth. The exploitation hound known for Hostel and Death Wish is far out of his element with this project, but it offers him the chance to show off his skills to those unwilling to see his grimy films. He has a reputation for being a well-versed cinephile (you don’t just become friends with Quentin Tarantino), so hopefully he can handle the abrupt genre transition.

Even with the eyebrow-raising choice of director, the project managed to land Cate Blanchett and Jack Black as the adult leads. Both generally have a good eye for material, and if nothing else they should hold down their portions of the film splendidly. Also looking promising is the experience of the main child actor, Owen Vaccaro, who previously appeared in the Daddy’s Home series.

The House with a Clock in its Walls is a gamble, to be sure, but with all the strangeness surrounding it, at least it’s unlikely to be forgettable.

The House with a Clock in its Walls is directed by Eli Roth and stars Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, and Owen Vaccaro. It will be released in the US on September 21st, 2018 and in the UK on September 28th, 2018. For international release dates, click here.

Do you think Eli Roth can pull off a family film? Let us know in the comments!