After leaving a lasting mark on the horror genre with The Babadook a decade ago, Jennifer Kent has continued to expand her filmmaking repertoire with projects like The Nightingale and an episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities for Netflix. So what’s next for the talented director? While Kent is keeping details under wraps, she recently teased her upcoming horror project in an interview with Gizmodo.

“We’re about to announce something that’s going ahead, a film based on a book,” Kent shared. “A very well-known horror book. But I can’t really say more than that at this point.”

This interview, which took place in September, sparked curiosity about Kent’s next move. World of Reel claims to have cracked the mystery, reporting that Kent’s next film will be an adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Thief of Always, a beloved 1992 novel.

According to World of Reel, “I can exclusively report that the film will be an adaptation of Clive Barker’s classic novel The Thief of Always, which is currently in the advanced stages of development. You can expect this one to be officially announced very soon.”

The Thief of Always follows a 10-year-old boy who stumbles upon a magical house, only to discover that its enigmatic master uses the home to lure children and steal their youth. The novel’s dark, fantastical themes seem like a fitting match for Kent’s unique directorial style.

While the scoop from World of Reel has yet to be officially confirmed, fans are eagerly awaiting more information as this story unfolds.

As for The Babadook franchise, Kent has firmly put any thoughts of a sequel to rest. In her conversation with Gizmodo, she explained her stance on revisiting the character: “I think there’s just no need for it. There’s absolutely no need to explore beyond what I already did. The only reason would be to make money. As much as I’d love to pay off my mortgage, I also want to be able to sleep at night. So, yeah, not saying yes to that.”

With her next project potentially bringing Clive Barker’s eerie tale to the screen, fans can expect Kent to continue delivering unsettling, thought-provoking horror in the years to come. Stay tuned for more updates!