In 2009, it was announced that a film would be made about the Winchester Mystery House.[3] Rights to the story were acquired by the Hammer Films division of Exclusive Media in 2012, with Imagination Design Works and Nine/8 Entertainment producing.[4] Michael and Peter Spierig were set as directors on May 10, 2016, with the pair also revising the script.[5] On May 14, Helen Mirren began finalizing a deal to star in the film as heiress Sarah Winchester, and filming was expected to start later in 2016, in San Jose, California and Australia.[6] In August 2016, CBS Films acquired distribution rights to the film, and production was pushed back to March 2017.[7] In September 2016, Jason Clarke entered negotiations to star in the film.[8] Sarah Snook and Angus Sampson joined the cast in March 2017, and filming commenced in Australia.[9] The film was renamed to Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built on October 10, 2017, and was moved from its original release date of February 23, 2018 up to February 2, 2018.[10] Executive producers on the film include Andrew Trapani, Brian J. Gilbert, Antonia Lianos, Benedict Carver, Daniel Diamond and Tobin Armbrust.[11]