It used to be that ghost stories and urban legends were passed around the campfire, or during sleepovers with friends in junior high. These days? Just like everything else, it’s all on the internet. One recent example is the story known as “Dear David.” Back in August of 2017, cartoonist Adam Ellis took to social media and started to share the story of what he believed to be a dead child named David that was haunting his apartment, and, according to Ellis, also trying to kill him. Now, according to a report from The Wrap, via Bloody-Disgusting, the saga born on Twitter is now going to become a movie. BuzzFeed Studios will be partnering on the film with It producer Dan Lin.

UPDATE, 11/2/2018 – As reported by Deadline, New Line Cinema will be releasing the film, and it will be written by newcomer Mike Van Waes. All other details are yet under wraps, though if you’re hungry to learn more about the project, you should feel free to explore Ellis’ months-long tweet thread in which “Dear David” was invented. Be wary—it gets spooky.

6/6/2018 – Ellis’ first tweet about his supernatural ordeal gained over 55,000 retweets and 76,000 likes, and the legend of “Dear David” grew and grew. Ellis started sharing cartoon sketches he made of what David looked like to him (The video above is a pretty succinct encapsulation of the entire “Dear David” saga for those that want the full details.)

As Ellis’ Twitter saga went on, he eventually presented what he insisted was photographic evidence of the ghostly boy with part of his head missing, due to the accident which killed him. He said the spectral child had even followed him as far as Japan. Ever since the story went viral, people have been suggesting it become a movie, and now it appears that they are getting their wish.

In a statement to The Wrap, Ellis said “I’ve never been interested in convincing anyone that ghosts are real–I just wanted to tell my story. If it was all fiction, I probably would’ve updated more than once every couple weeks.” In recent months Ellis has not posted much about David, and is still very much  alive, so not sure how the fictionalized version of this account will end, but fans should be prepared for a very Hollywood ending once it hits theaters.

Are you excited to see this modern urban legend come to life on the big screen? Be sure to let us know down in the comments below.

Images: Adam Ellis / Darkness Tales

More of the things that will terrify you!

• Ready for one of the scariest movies of the year? Read our review of Hereditary!
• Looking at what makes a perfect horror anthology!
• The urban legends that inspired Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark!