'Djinn' Trailer - 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Helmer Tobe Hooper Returns With Abu Dhabi-Set Haunted House Tale

Although he made his name in the late '70s and early '80s with horror classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Salem's Lot, and (at least officially) Poltergeist, director Tobe Hooper's been laying low as of late. His last credits, two episodes of the Showtime series Masters of Horror, and the 2005 film Mortuary, are from several years back, and the films he did before that (including Toolbox Murders and The Mangler) were neither as well known nor as highly respected as his early work.

Happily for horror fans, he's back this year with a new film called Djinn, described as "unique new take on the haunted house thriller uncovers the dark truth behind classic fairytales of the Genie." And in even better news, the first trailer for the film actually looks pretty good, aside from the fact that some of the scenes could use subtitles for English speakers. Watch it after the jump.

[via First Showing]

Scripted by David Tully, Hooper's Djinn centers around an attractive young Emirati couple (Khalid Laith and Razane Jammal) who return to their brand-new luxury apartment after a trip to the U.S., only to learn that the building's site also happens to be home to malicious spirits known as Djinn. It looks like a typical haunted house tale in most respects, right down to the shot of Jammal standing terrified in her living room, but the sleek, modern Abu Dhabi setting and Djinn mythology seem like they'll provide some refreshing updates to the formula.

Despite this weekend's rumors that the Abu Dhabi royal family had objected to the film's "politically subversive" nature and demanded it be shelved, production company Imagenation Abu Dhabi confirmed to Shock Till You Drop today that Djinn "is in active post-production" and will hit theaters sometime this year. However, no opening date has been announced at this time.