ScreamWire Daily

Paramount sets Paranormal Activity entry for May 21, 2027; film directed by Ian Tuason and co-financed by Paramount's Melrose lot with Blumhouse-Atomic Monster; producers include James Wan, Jason Blum and franchise creator Oren Peli; piece reiterates franchise ROI history (original costs ~$15K/$200K post, $194M gross) and cumulative franchise grosses north of $900M.

$64.1M domestic opening ($28.8M Friday incl. $7.8M Thurs previews), $33.1M overseas for $97.2M global — franchise-best Feb launch; Neve Campbell returned; Rotten Tomatoes critics 33% / audience 78%; B- CinemaScore; strong 18–34 and diverse demo turnout noted; mentions Spyglass/Paramount production and concurrent industry M&A chatter around Ellison/Paramount-WBD deal.

Blumhouse-Atomic Monster formalizes a post-merger development role by hiring Shudder exec Sam Zimmerman as SVP to shepherd a focused slate of emerging filmmakers, overseeing films largely in the $2–8M band (including sub-$5M projects) and serving as a liaison between Blumhouse and Atomic Monster while supporting the Divide/Conquer overall deal.

Scream 7 opened to $64.1M domestic — franchise besting Scream VI’s $44.6M — providing Paramount strong theatrical momentum and increasing odds of an immediate Scream 8 greenlight; weekend context: GOAT holds well, NEON’s concert film traction noted, and Crime 101 continues to underperform versus its large budget.

A24's Backrooms stars Renate Reinsve and Chiwetel Ejiofor; Kane Parsons directing a high‑profile genre feature positioning viral internet IP for theatrical audiences — trailer released to launch marketing ahead of release.

Paramount Skydance agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a $110 billion deal after Netflix withdrew its bid; Jason Blum called consolidation ‘overblown’; David Ellison has pledged a slate of 30 theatrical releases per year for the merged entity, raising industry concern about job losses and theatrical output.

World of Reel reports Cregger was given 'carte blanche' by Sony to reshape Resident Evil and that the film likely won’t feature familiar series characters — confirms creative reboot strategy and aligns with reported $80M-scale production.

Flanagan will direct his original script and produce via Red Room; Universal dates theatrical release for March 12, 2027; production set in New York City; Blumhouse and Atomic Monster are producing with Morgan Creek; exec producers named and Scarlett Johansson and Jacobi Jupe are attached.

Producer Roy Lee states Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot carries an $80M budget and will be a nonstop-action 'roller coaster.'

New trailer and marketing push for Lee Cronin's reimagining of The Mummy from New Line; positions film as a supernatural reboot in Cronin's post‑Evil Dead Rise slate — multiple outlets debut footage but no release date or budget disclosed.

The Hollywood Reporter’s exclusive confirms Jonathan Levine is directing Searchlight’s Horrorstör adaptation and positions Searchlight as backing the feature; THR’s piece repeats director attachment and notes studio development but omits budget, writers, or production start.

Alexandre Aja will write (but not direct) the Dead by Daylight feature; project is at Blumhouse and Atomic Monster — JoBlo notes Aja’s role change but no release date or budget disclosed.

Box office hold: Send Help fell just 0.8% week-over-week; Wuthering Heights is topping global grosses at $82M. Article provides explicit weekend percentage drop and a global box office figure, signaling strong legs for Raimi's title versus typical horror decay.

Variety EXCLUSIVE confirms Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is being added to the Criterion Collection alongside another Netflix title; Variety reports the add is an editorial/archival release for Criterion (exclusive confirmation).

Flanagan will alter one of The Mist's most controversial endings for his adaptation; article gives no specifics on the new ending, financing, or distributor.

Shudder is slated to add the documentary/compilation '1000 Women in Horror' to its slate; article does not disclose premiere date, licensing terms, or distribution windows.

Comparative box-office: Koimoi reports Send Help outgrossed The Shining in North American run (contextualized by release periods); article includes specific grosses and historical comps to frame Raimi's performance.

Fangoria coverage confirms a fall/October arrival window for Flanagan’s Carrie on Prime Video; no episode count, cast, or budget disclosed.

Leone posted a social update confirming active work on Terrifier 4's screenplay and teasing a darker, more difficult tone; no attached financiers, production companies, or schedule mentioned.

IGN reports Sony/producer has given Zach Cregger latitude: film will likely avoid established RE characters/plotlines and pursue an original story; indicates studio creative freedom rather than franchise continuity.

Well Go USA has acquired Joko Anwar’s gore-forward Ghost in the Cell; trailer circulation highlights heavy practical effects and horror-comedy tone ahead of the U.S. release plan.

A24 is scheduling early Dolby Cinema screenings of undertone in March — signals A24's continued strategy of premium formats and event-style limited early runs for prestige/genre launches, possibly replicable for Backrooms.

Wrap ranks all seven Scream films and singles out Scream 7 (2025): notes behind-the-scenes turmoil (Melissa Barrera fired, Jenna Ortega left in solidarity), Neve Campbell’s return, and that the film centers Sidney — flags creative and PR disruptions for the Spyglass/Paramount franchise.

Wan and Whannell confirm Jigsaw will be central to a teased new Saw installment; no production or release dates disclosed in the piece.

AOL reports Prime Video’s Carrie reboot from Flanagan has a release-window revealed (fall/October); article reiterates streaming distribution but lists no financials or production status details.

Gary Dauberman is developing an Urban Legend reboot with producer Neal Moritz attached; article is exclusive but does not disclose studio home, budget, or deal terms — Dauberman is known for modern horror franchise work, signaling a franchise-driven approach.

BBC Film and Lionsgate have begun principal photography on Ghosts: The Possession of Button House with Monumental Pictures attached; location and shoot start timeframe included in other items but not detailed here.

Shudder has acquired the psychological horror feature Hellcat and set it for a 2026 release on the service, per Bloody Disgusting.

Night Train Media agreed to buy Swedish distributor Eccho Rights from Korea’s CJ ENM — a cross-border distribution M&A that reshapes Nordic rights ownership and could affect European sales windows for genre titles (IMDb exclusive; financials not in excerpt).

Producer (A24) indicates the planned TV series will examine Leatherface’s formative/early years rather than retread established continuity; signals A24 expanding franchise via longform TV.

Tubi is expanding its partnership with The Black List to launch a new horror screenwriting initiative aimed at surfacing and developing horror scripts, Deadline reports; program specifics and funding terms were not disclosed.

Searchlight Pictures has signed a first‑look film and TV deal with Cate Blanchett’s production company Dirty Films — deal covers both film and television; Variety frames this as Searchlight expanding creative partnerships but gives no financial terms or slate specifics.

Heated Rivalry stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams appeared on SNL; the series (produced by Crave) was an HBO Max hit and Season 2 begins production in August with a planned release in April 2027.

StudioCanal acquired a majority stake in Italian producer-distributor Lucky Red — strategic consolidation in European distribution/production that expands StudioCanal’s local theatrical and festival pipeline (THR report; financial terms not disclosed in excerpt).

Bloody Disgusting confirms Adam Wingard has left the Face/Off sequel at Paramount; no new director or schedule information was reported.

Drafthouse Films and FilmBuff acquired the sci-fi-horror romance Spring at Fantastic Fest — joint distribution points to a festival-to-VOD strategy with Drafthouse handling genre theatrical/physical and FilmBuff managing digital/VOD.

A sequel to a previously released Shudder title has dropped a trailer signaling a format or structural change to the franchise; article notes the original premiered two years earlier but discloses no budget, distributor deals, or release date.

IMDb reports Margaret Qualley is being eyed to star in a Possession remake directed by Parker Finn (Smile); casting is in early talks — no deal, salary, or studio attached yet.

Tubi Originals attached; Siena Agudong and Brec Bassinger cast as leads on YA horror-comedy Buzzkill. No distributor window, budget, director, or release date disclosed.

Reports link Cregger to a spec project titled Flood (rumored next film), suggesting he's lining up original/indie-scale material alongside franchise work — status appears speculative.

Streaming/physical availability expanded: Part Sixth reports Sam Raimi's three-part horror series (Evil Dead trilogy/related material implied) has been consolidated into an easier-to-access package—platform/window details unspecified in headline.

New Line is developing an original horror feature set in the Land of Oz; development announced but no writer, director, cast, or budget attached publicly.

Jason Blum reiterates Blumhouse's strategy to prioritize low-budget filmmaking to preserve creative freedom and returns to micro-budget horror; he positions small budgets as deliberate strategy rather than necessity.

Sequel in development with Jason Momoa reported to have approved the script; producer Roy Lee teases potential Ender Dragon appearance; early target window summer 2027 (no official date announced).

Bloody Disgusting's month-ahead streaming roundup lists specific release dates: Saw X and Angel’s Egg on March 1, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice on Hulu March 28, plus major catalog drops across Netflix, HBO Max, Paramount+ and others — useful calendar for acquisitions and programming.

Director Scott Derrickson says Jeffrey Epstein served as an 'unintentional' real-world influence on The Black Phone’s tone and depiction of predatory figures.

Neon has acquired a new feature from Alex Ullom (director of It Ends); distributor pickup signals continued interest in emerging horror auteurs from indie fest circuits.

Local news roundup flags Telefilm Canada actively seeking a ‘spark’ to revive domestic film performance — signals potential upcoming program announcements or incentive tweaks that could influence where horror/genre productions shoot or seek funding in Canada.

Screen Rant reports a major Hellboy resurgence in 2026 tied to Guillermo del Toro’s favorite series returning—article suggests franchise-level activity but provides no financing or distribution details.

Immersive 3D adaptation of A24's Talk To Me has cast performers known from Rebel Moon, Ted Lasso and Ozark — signals A24/IP holders are leveraging talent cross‑overs to broaden experiential audience reach.

BayView Entertainment is releasing Close Encounters: Season One in digital and physical formats; series stars UFO researcher/filmmaker Mark Christopher Lee and Guy Thompson and features global investigations and expert interviews—BayView will handle distribution.

One Battle After Another won the PGA's top Darryl F. Zanuck Award; Paul Thomas Anderson publicly thanked Warner Bros. executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy for shepherding films including Sinners and Weapons and for 'protecting' filmmakers like Ryan Coogler and Zach Cregger.

Tubi is adding a massive Warner Bros. animation library this March — over 100 series in the first wave (includes Cartoon Network staples like The Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, Static Shock, Tiny Toon Adventures, Freakazoid) and is leveraging its free, ad-supported model to attract viewers away from HBO Max/Max.

Telefilm publicly framing Canada’s recent box-office slump as a sector-wide storytelling/marketing issue and signaling new programmatic support aimed at boosting discoverability and export potential for Canadian features (policy/marketing pivot being positioned as the corrective, no dollar figures disclosed).

Early critical reactions position Sam Raimi's first R-rated horror in 26 years as a return to his signature style; reactions collated but no box office, distribution, or budget details provided.

Netflix Japan struck a content partnership with Toho to pipeline more Toho-produced domestic titles into Netflix's Japan catalogue; deal framed as regional distribution partnership rather than global output agreement.

Roy Lee confirms BioShock producer involvement remains active and gives a prospective production timeframe (no binding start date disclosed).

French outlet reports a Smile sequel (Smile 2) from Parker Finn with Naomi Scott confronting the curse on Paramount+ — coverage reads speculative; no official studio release slate or greenlight confirmation from Paramount provided.

Notable birthday callouts this week include director/writer Zach Cregger (born 1978), actor Jensen Ackles (born 1981) and director Zack Snyder (born 1966); the list also highlights crew veterans tied to practical-effects-era cult films.

Flanagan says Netflix cajoled for more vampires during development of Midnight Mass; he resisted changes that would have expanded vampire presence and altered tonal balance.

Nicole Kidman attached to star in a Karyn Kusama-directed LAPD crime thriller — casting signals Kusama continuing in mainstream/thriller space; no production dates or financiers disclosed.

Indie developer Headwinds (Will McPhie) unveiled The Lighthouse Whispers for Steam — an atmospheric, slow-burn horror game explicitly inspired by Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse and Kristoffer Nyholm's The Vanishing.

How-To Geek lists five films exemplifying Guillermo del Toro's monster-focused aesthetics; the piece is critical/celebratory rather than reporting production or deal activity.

No new production, attachment, or financing details disclosed — critical take (Bloody Disgusting) evaluating the reboot's creative choices and failures.

CJ ENM and Fifth Season announced expanded Korea-Europe co-production plans aimed at elevating Korean IP and production crews in European markets — signals a structural push for transatlantic genre co-productions (no deal values disclosed).

Ranked catalog of Flanagan’s films; useful for creative benchmarking and talent perception but contains no deal, production, or financing intel.

Review coverage: Send Help described as gore-forward by Images Dawn; critical take indicates Raimi’s tonal return but no release or box office data included.

Deadline reports Leo Woodall has been cast opposite Sydney Sweeney in StudioCanal and Rabbit’s Foot Films' adaptation 'Custom of the Country' — casting update only, no production dates or budget disclosed.

CANEX Creations invested in the feature Clarissa, which NEON has acquired for worldwide distribution; article confirms financing support but does not disclose terms or release plans.

New comics drop: Walking Dead: Deluxe #132 (full-color, multiple variants), Sleep #8 (miniseries finale), Hello Darkness #19 and other March horror comic releases across Image and Boom! Studios.

Lionsgate will release a collector's edition of The Substitute; product/physical release announcement rather than new production activity.

Screen Gems has acquired rights to Attack the Block (title/packaging placement); no production or release details disclosed.

Crave is leaning into international expansion after Heated Rivalry's success; IndieWire coverage frames the streamer as pursuing U.S. visibility and commissioning more originals—no specific commissioning deals or budgets listed.

Quoted remark from Jordan Peele about persuasion and audience resistance; no industry deal or production information included.

Screen Gems has scheduled a fall theatrical release window for a sequel to Sisu; no cast, budget, or exact date disclosed.

Deal confirmation reiterates $110bn valuation and an intended slate of 30 films/year with planned theatrical-first windowing (min. 45 days), and sets an expected close in Q3 2026 pending regulatory clearance and shareholder votes.

Sinners dominated the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards: 'I Lied to You' won best song for a film and music supervisor Niki Sherrod won best music supervision (major-budget films); Raphael Saadiq received the Icon Award and performed; Robin Kaye was posthumously honored with the Guild’s Legacy Award.

Weekend release roundup; may list Scream 7 among titles but contains no new deal, budget, or production intel specific to genre industry players.

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! (debuting March 6) reframes the Bride of Frankenstein around consent; film is written/directed by Gyllenhaal, stars Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Peter Sarsgaard and Jake Gyllenhaal — positioned as gothic horror/sci‑fi crime.

Evil Dead 7 release-date update provided by ComingSoon.net—new date detail announced (article implies scheduling shift or confirmation); no financing or casting info disclosed in headline/excerpt.

Producer confirms plans for Psycho Killer 2 and outlines the fate of the franchise’s antagonist (no financing or start date disclosed).

Bloomberg-sourced reporting: Bluepoint Games (developer of Demon's Souls remake) pitched Sony a Bloodborne remake last year; Bluepoint has since shuttered — pitch did not advance to greenlight before studio closure.

DiCaprio is on-set in Europe filming Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of the ghost novel What Happens at Night (a supernatural/ghost property); Jennifer Lawrence is attached as co-star; DiCaprio will miss the Actor Awards due to the shoot—production scheduling confirmed and signals the project is in active production.

Chris Yost has written multiple episodes for NBCUniversal/Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door live-action Dungeon Crawler Carl adaptation; the project is still active and nearing a streamer decision — next steps include contract signings, CGI testing, and budgetary approvals.

Premiere protest and organized boycott explained as response to recent off-screen controversy tied to the film's casting; activists and some crew reactions cited but no studio policy changes reported.

Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror Sinners converted its record 18 NAACP Image Awards nominations into 13 wins, including Outstanding Motion Picture, breakthrough performer (Miles Caton) and lead actor (Michael B. Jordan); Jordan also won Entertainer of the Year — a substantial awards-season credential for a genre title.

Positions liminal horror as a growing, psychologically-driven subgenre (empty spaces, corridor/architectural dread); ties origins to message-board image culture and argues the mode scales for low-budget, set-driven productions — useful signal for development and production/design departments exploring eco/liminal hybrids like Dead Bloom (2026).

Bleeding Cool highlights a violent clip from New Line's They Will Kill You, emphasizing stylized kills and tone — no release date or distributor deal info provided.

XRTV and Meta developing an immersive, multi-episode extension of A24's Talk To Me franchise; casting announced (VR/3D format), production positioned as experiential spin‑out rather than traditional linear series.

Practical guide: advocates writing to the budget—recommendations include one main location, tight cast, contained story and emphasis on atmosphere over effects; cites Night of the Living Dead, Halloween, Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity as micro-budget blueprints.

The 57th NAACP Image Awards will simulcast live on BET and CBS on Feb. 28 (5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST) and stream via Paramount+, Philo, FuboTV, DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV; Viola Davis will receive the Chairman’s Award. Sinners led nominations with 18.

Release notes: Skate to Hell (2026) listed on DVD with director Shawn C. Phillips, writers Ethan & Shawn C. Phillips and cast including Eric Roberts and Elizabeth Chamberlain (studio: DeskPop Entertainment); also a 4K UHD Steelbook restoration of Joe Dante’s Piranha with new commentaries and archival extras.

Seven-episode HBO limited; all episodes written and directed by Steven Conrad; leads Jason Bateman, David Harbour and Linda Cardellini; tonal note: intentionally banal suburban setting used for deadpan erotic-thriller comedy.

Tie-in timing: SciFiNow frames the Predator franchise resurgence around the Predator: Badlands and the 5-Movie 4K collection releases, arguing Prey recalibrated the series by proving asymmetrical-era storytelling can reframe the Yautja threat.

Apple TV+ Season 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters continues the Titan saga; Kurt Russell appears but critics flag overstuffed plotting and narrative bloat despite star power.

PVOD roundup highlights recent home releases; calls out a surprise $360M worldwide hit that reportedly cost about one‑tenth of that figure (implying ~ $36M budget) and notes multiple titles arriving on VOD this month including a new zombie entry.

Screen Daily maintains an updated global calendar of 2026 film festivals and markets (includes FrightFest Glasgow and other genre-relevant events) for submissions and scheduling.

Programming note: Wicked Horror TV’s March slate will stream a mix of classic and indie horror for free on its platform—promoted titles include Carnival of Souls and a demon-themed feature (full schedule posted on site).

Feature First reports a digital release date for 'Cold Storage' has been revealed — distribution timing update only; the excerpt provides no platform, territorial roll-out or revenue details.

A24's Backrooms teaser emphasizes liminal production design and the film's claustrophobic, maze-like set pieces; positions the title as a high-profile A24 sci-fi/horror play though budget and release window are not detailed.

First trailer posted for a new meta-horror feature starring Gillian Anderson; the film leans into Friday the 13th–style slasher tropes and is now in marketing (post-production); no distributor, budget, or release date disclosed in the article.

Fantastic Fest breakout Bone Lake debuted a trailer positioning the film as an erotic-vacation-turned-bloody horror; Drafthouse Films is attached (festival/VOD strategy likely via Drafthouse).

New trailer for The Yeti (set in Alaska) highlights Jim Cummings being hunted by a snowy creature; coverage frames it as a practical-effects creature feature headed to genre audiences — distribution cited via Well Go USA coverage.

Official trailer for The Yeti positions it as an Alaska-set monster horror using snowy isolation and practical effects; coverage aimed at genre press as trailer roll-out rather than sale news.