James Wan has firmly established himself as a modern master of horror with films like Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring, and though the filmmaker’s latest project isn’t one he directed himself, he is responsible for bringing it to the big screen. Wan produced Lights Out, and if the newest trailer for the upcoming horror flick is to be believed, you’re in for some serious scares.

Lights Out was helmed by first-time director David F. Sandberg and scripted by Eric Heisserer (The Thing remake) based on Sandberg’s original short. Teresa Palmer plays a woman who experienced a haunting as a child, and now her son is being tormented as well. The spirit in question only appears when the lights go out, and as you can see in the trailer, that makes for some very creepy visual stuff. It’s a gimmick that could wear out its welcome by the time the movie theater lights go up, but Wan is masterful at sustaining tension, and if he sees something promising in Sandberg, this could be a great new discovery for horror.

When Rebecca left home, she thought she left her childhood fears behind. Growing up, she was never really sure of what was and wasn’t real when the lights went out…and now her little brother, Martin, is experiencing the same unexplained and terrifying events that had once tested her sanity and threatened her safety. A frightening entity with a mysterious attachment to their mother, Sophie, has reemerged.

But this time, as Rebecca gets closer to unlocking the truth, there is no denying that all their lives are in danger…once the lights go out.

Sandberg is also attached to direct Annabelle 2, so Lights Out should give us a good indication of what that sequel will be like. The film also stars Billy Burke and Maria Bello, and hits theaters on July 22.

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