Horror Industry News — Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Tubi announced a digital‑first horror slate built around creator IP — including Sofi Manassyan’s anthology Who Did It? (two seasons), Rock Squad entries (Abigail, Crimson Crest, Creepers) and CelinaSpookyBoo’s The Haunted Estate — signaling a creator‑led strategy to drive AVOD viewership.

Tubi is commissioning a slate of digital-first horror creator series — including Sofi Manassyan’s Who Did It? (two seasons premiering this summer), Rock Squad spinoffs (Abigail, Crimson Crest, Creepers) and CelinaSpookyBoo’s four-part paranormal docuseries The Haunted Estate — signaling a creator-driven AVOD strategy to capture younger horror audiences.

Tubi has scheduled the RL Stine‑produced Pumpkinhead sequel for an October release on the AVOD platform, positioning the franchise entry as a Halloween‑season exclusive.

Karyn Kusama says a reinvented Jennifer’s Body sequel is actively being worked on with Diablo Cody writing, while Kusama is directing and producing The Terror: Devil in Silver (premiering May 7 on AMC+ and Shudder).

Protagonist Pictures has boarded international sales on SXSW-opening sci‑fi thriller The Saviors, which stars Adam Scott and Danielle Deadwyler and is being positioned for Cannes Marché with UTA and CAA representing North American rights.

Kitty Green is directing and wrote The Spacesuit starring Vanessa Kirby and Lewis Pullman; HanWay Films has boarded international sales while UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance will represent the pic in North America, with producers including James Schamus and Scott Macaulay — project positioned as a tense space-set thriller in development.

James Gunn says The Authority movie is off the near‑term DCU slate because its script and story didn't fit the broader DC Universe plans and he never intended to write or direct it; project could return someday but "not soon."

Kitty Green is writing/directing sci‑fi thriller The Spacesuit, which will star Vanessa Kirby and Lewis Pullman and is eyeing a shoot later this year as HanWay Films launches international sales at Cannes.

First teaser for Verity — a Colleen Hoover adaptation directed by Michael Showalter from a Nick Antosca screenplay — positions the film as a darker psychological/haunted thriller starring Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett, and Anne Hathaway; theatrical release set for October 2.

Sam Rockwell, Marisa Tomei and Chris Messina are attached to Hellhound, a New York–set zombie comedy — casting signals an elevated ensemble indie/comedy-horror likely moving toward production but no distributor or budget disclosed.

Young actor Jack Dylan Grazer signed with Range Media Partners (exclusive), a move that reshapes his representation ahead of likely genre and franchise opportunities given his past horror-adjacent roles—no deal terms disclosed.

The piece re-evaluates Steven Spielberg–executive-produced Under the Dome as an underrated Stephen King TV adaptation, noting Brian K. Vaughan developed the series, led by Mike Vogel and Rachelle Lefevre, and that the pilot drew over 17 million viewers despite the show's uneven later seasons.

The Directors Guild extended Russell Hollander’s contract as national executive director through 2029; he’ll lead upcoming collective bargaining with the AMPTP and continues to shape guild policy after guiding negotiations through the recent strikes and pandemic-era production changes.

CBR's interview with Eric Kripke reveals narrative links between The Boys and Supernatural universes, confirming connective story beats that could affect franchise crossovers and fan continuity discussions ahead of The Boys' final season moves.

Capcom announced Resident Evil Requiem has surpassed 7 million units sold across PC and consoles two months after hitting 5 million, marking strong commercial performance for the horror franchise and prompting internal celebrations at the studio.

Sam Glynne is leaving UTA’s London office after 3.5 years as Global SVP of Branded Entertainment and plans to launch her own branded-entertainment company in the coming months.

Insider report says Ubisoft is targeting June 2027 for Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe (may shift to holiday 2027), and earlier rumors indicate a witch-trials setting with a stronger horror emphasis and more grounded magic.

The column argues antitrust/competition enforcement remains the dominant structural story reshaping streaming and studio strategy—coverage that signals regulatory pressure could drive more consolidation scrutiny, deal re-pricing and platform strategy shifts across the genre ecosystem.

Veronica Roth announced The Sixth Faction at BookCon 2026 — the first of two alternate‑universe Divergent novels that reimagine what happens if Beatrice Prior hadn’t joined Dauntless, a creative move intended to revisit the property with fresh perspective rather than a straight sequel.

Critical take on Charlize Theron’s Netflix survival thriller Apex frames the film as a pulpy, Cliffhanger‑style survival picture that reinforces Theron’s action persona and highlights director Baltasar Kormákur’s ability to balance spectacle with natural‑world peril.

The Australasian Horror Writers Association released finalists for the 2025 Australasian Shadows Awards across eight categories, signaling regional recognition for horror short fiction and highlighting authors likely to gain festival, press, or adaptation attention.

Conflicting reports around an Insomniac-developed Marvel Venom game resurfaced after actor Nadji Jeter hinted it existed while other insiders including Bloomberg's Jason Schreier indicate the project is ongoing with PlayStation—details remain unconfirmed.

Universal has moved decisively on a project codenamed ‘Odyssey’ and Amazon is bringing sizeable production activity to Las Vegas — signaling studio deployment of tentpole resources and location-driven shoot volume but with no disclosed financials.

Quentin Tarantino criticized the monitor-heavy 'Video Village' workflow in an AFI Fellows talk, promoting physical presence on set as a creative control ethos—relevant to set culture and directing craft but not a market or deal event.

The Sir Julius Vogel Award finalists were revealed, highlighting New Zealand creators across science fiction, fantasy and horror and spotlighting local genre talent pool that can feed international festival and adaptation pipelines.

Digital i reports Australian Netflix viewing in 2025 was 96.4% non‑local content, signaling strong preference for U.S. and Korean imports and implications for local production investment and commissioning strategies.

IF Magazine’s April 2026 In Production wrap catalogs feature films and scripted series currently shooting across Australia, providing a production snapshot and potential leads for upcoming releases and co-productions.

A analysis piece profiles A24’s rise from indie distributor to VC-backed billion-dollar brand, noting its marketing tactics, ties to Josh Kushner, and recent moves into bigger-budget mainstream fare while retaining an aura that benefits its horror slate.

Unknown Waters Studio announced ICU – Intensive Care Unit 8, a single-player looping hospital horror game focused on observation and decision-based progression, positioning it among indie games inspired by titles like The Exit and attracting horror-gaming audiences.

Darnell Strom has been appointed to lead UTA’s U.K. office, a leadership hire that signals agency reinforcement in the U.K. market.

Opinion piece argues Zach Cregger is a defining horror voice of his generation—citing Barbarian and Weapons—positioning him alongside major contemporary horror auteurs and noting his momentum into big properties like Resident Evil.

Locus’ March roundup lists newly received SF/F/H periodicals (print and digital), including Bourbon Penn #38 and other outlets publishing speculative fiction, useful for sourcing short fiction and criticism in genre publishing.

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Criminal) are reuniting for a new graphic novel, Unfinished Tales, a thriller about a successful fantasy author battling writer’s block—positioned as a high‑profile creator project for the comics market.

Locus’ weekly bestseller roundup shows genre titles (SF/fantasy) like James S.A. Corey’s The Faith of Beasts debuting strongly on multiple lists and a range of fantasy/genre paperbacks and hardcovers moving up or holding placement across NYT, PW and Amazon charts.

A No Film School essay summarizes a video essay diagnosing a trend toward muted, 'flat' TV cinematography—argues production and post choices (lighting, design, grading) over format cause emotional distance and urges cinephile directors/DPs to reclaim color and contrast.

Grimmfest announced BIFA qualifying status for both shorts and features—films selected for Grimmfest now count toward the two-festival requirement for BIFA eligibility, boosting the festival's standing as a launchpad for UK indie genre filmmakers.

iHorror reviews ZombieCON Vol. 1 (SXSW premiere), praising its authentic fan-con setting and noting the film's festival presence and SXSW audience reception as strengths for its indie horror profile.

At EFM buyers and distributors flagged TikTok/#FilmTok as an accelerating discovery and marketing channel that’s reshaping pre-sales and SVOD acquisition strategies, with execs adapting release windows and festival strategies to account for short-form audience-driven hits.

‘Follow the Dark’ is a cerebral horror project exploring grief, parallel realities and survival preparing to launch a Kickstarter campaign—signal of indie horror financing via crowdfunding and a project positioned for festival/DIY distribution.

The Veterans has boarded international sales on Andy Garcia’s self‑written/directed noir Diamond ahead of its Out of Competition world premiere at Cannes; CAA Media Finance is handling North American rights and the starry cast includes Vicky Krieps, Brendan Fraser, Bill Murray and Dustin Hoffman.

Damian McCarthy’s psychological folk-horror Hokum starring Adam Scott premiered at SXSW (March 14, 2026) and opens in U.S. theaters May 1, 2026 after near-simultaneous international rollouts beginning April 29; marketing will lean into slow-burn, Lynchian atmosphere.

Netflix has set a release date for a new sci‑fi survival thriller starring Wagner Moura — Collider teases the announcement (film title and platform-wide rollout implied) though the excerpt omits specific date and distribution details.

Netflix previewed a broad Summer 2026 slate (May–June) including international thrillers (The Marked Woman), anime and genre entries (Jujutsu Kaisen S2), Guillermo del Toro‑backed stop‑animation I Am Frankelda, and multiple high‑profile comedies and dramas — a programming roadmap rather than deal intel.

SciFiNow reviews Damian McCarthy’s supernatural hotel horror Hokum (starring Adam Scott, Florence Odesh, David Wilmot), praising its blend of Irish folklore, dread, and black comedy; the review notes a UK/Irish theatrical release on 1 May.

Netflix will premiere Louis Leterrier’s sci‑fi thriller The Last House (starring Greta Lee and Wagner Moura) on Aug. 7; script by Matthew Robinson and producers include Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping for Chernin Entertainment.

Netflix's Leave the World Behind is a localized apocalyptic/psychological thriller following two families cut off during a mysterious blackout; series centers on Amanda (Julia Roberts), Clay (Ethan Hawke) and G.H. (Mahershala Ali) and leans into tech-dependence anxiety and survival tension.

Production wrapped on supernatural thriller You Can't Leave in Dallas; Spencer Boldman (who is also an EP) and Paola Andino star, Scott Windhauser wrote/directed, and Guilder Cinema Group will release domestically in October 2026 with international digital windows planned for November 2026.

Streaming recommendation: Netflix's 2022 fantasy/witchcraft film The School for Good and Evil (dir. Paul Feig; adapted by Feig & David Magee) is highlighted as a good companion watch for fans awaiting Practical Magic 2; notes production shot in Northern Ireland and strong ensemble cast.

Production is underway in Northern Ireland on supernatural horror-thriller Hide and Don’t Speak, with Momona Tamada, Kaitlyn Kemp and John Hewson joining Tanner Buchanan, Garrett Wareing and Quvenzhané Wallis; Alexander J. Farrell directs for producers Range Media Partners and Mister Smith is handling international sales.

Production has begun on Amazon MGM’s culinary thriller Tyrant directed by David Weil, with new cast additions Paapa Essiedu, Hudson Williams, Omar Apollo and Nara Smith joining leads Charlize Theron, Julia Garner and Demi Moore on an L.A.-shot film produced by The Picture Company and Secret Menu.

Netflix will release the three‑part true‑crime drama The Witness and a companion documentary The Murder of Rachel Nickell globally on June 4; creator/writer/executive producer Rob Williams leads the drama with director Alex Winckler and STV Studios Drama producing, and consultants include the real‑life Hanscombe family.

PopHorror’s review of József Gallai’s The Black Eyed Children (2026) frames the film as a suspense-leaning horror/thriller—with found-footage elements and a late reveal that polarized the critic—calling it flawed but heartfelt and potentially appealing to fans of atmospheric indie horror.

Lucasfilm's Maul — Shadow Lord introduces Devon Izara, a new Jedi Padawan positioned as a narrative successor (and potential dark foil) to Ahsoka Tano; the animated series has already been renewed for Season 2, signaling a long-term role for the character.

Netflix will remove the Israeli crime thriller Black Space from its library on May 27 after a five‑year global streaming rights term; the show’s future home is currently unknown and it remains unavailable to buy or rent online.

Matthew Lillard credits nostalgia for reviving his career—notes recent genre credits include Five Nights at Freddy’s and Scream 7 and teases possibly reprising Shaggy in an upcoming animated Scooby project.

IFC and Shudder released new images for Saccharine — Natalie Erika James’ supernatural body‑horror about a medical student consuming human ashes — starring Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald and Madeleine Madden, with a theatrical release set for May 22, 2026.

Harold Perrineau, promoting From Season 4 on MGM+, says strict secrecy limits what he can discuss but teases the show's puzzle-like storytelling and notes Season 4 eases back from the supernatural in places; Season 4 is currently airing on MGM+.

Article recommends Sophie Tabet’s indie thriller Stone Cold Fox — starring Kiernan Shipka and Krysten Ritter — which lands on Paramount+ May 1 and shares cult/commune themes with Netflix’s Unchosen.

Kerry Washington was spotted filming a new Netflix thriller, An Innocent Girl, at a gas station in Bogota, NJ; the twisty power‑and‑murder story co-stars James Marsden, Chloe East and Colman Domingo and is expected in 2027.

Horror Society’s review of Dawid Torrone’s Dead by Dawn (2025) pans the film as a slow-paced slasher with underwhelming kills and a weak mask-design—while praising the cast, the piece concludes the film fails to deliver the giallo mystery it promises and is more standard slasher than homage.

Jason Statham and director David Ayer are re-teaming on John Doe, an amnesia-fueled action-thriller written by Zak Penn — a commercial genre project that continues Ayer/Statham’s collaboration and signals another mid/high-budget studio action title in development.

Damian McCarthy’s Hokum — a haunted-inn horror — is reviewed; the film features genre actors including Adam Scott and Austin Amelio and fits into ongoing interest in literary/atmospheric horror fare coming out of indie production circuits.

Netflix’s new spinoff Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 introduces Nikki Baxter, who re-centers Will Byers in the franchise timeline between seasons 2 and 3, providing character beats and a new weapon/arc that the article argues improve Will’s emotional payoff in Season 5; streaming series is already available on Netflix.

The Last Gas Station merges a satisfying management‑sim loop with an unsettling mystery/horror tone—praised for pixel art, automation and progression but critiqued for mid/late‑game pacing—earning a 4/5 review.

Scream Factory TV will run a 'Half-O-Ween' horror marathon April 30–May 3 on its free streaming service, featuring titles such as Elvira’s Haunted Hills, Succubus, Sleepaway Camp, C.H.U.D. and Children of the Corn.

Asian Movie Pulse interviews filmmaker Benny Chen about his new short 'Hand,' providing creative context and festival-readiness for a horror-leaning short without distribution or financing details.

MOVIES & MANIA highlights the 1960/1962 cult Euro shocker Horrors of Spider Island (aka It’s Hot in Paradise) and notes Severin Films’ 2020 Blu‑ray restoration, with viewing options via free AVOD services and archival extras.

JoBlo reviews Renny Harlin’s shark thriller Deep Water, assessing whether the long-teased film delivers another energetic, fun shark picture despite high expectations after delays.

The PopHorror retrospective argues Friday the 13th Part 2 is where the franchise’s identity coalesced—introducing Jason as the central antagonist (pre-hockey mask) and cementing slasher templates like remote settings, the final girl and cumulative suspense that shaped 1980s horror.

Eddie Marsan discusses his role in Epic Pictures' No Ordinary Heist, a bank-heist thriller rooted in the 2004 Northern Bank robbery; the piece focuses on character and human drama in the true‑event project.

A ranked list revisits the entire Evil Dead franchise ahead of Evil Dead Burn’s release, highlighting entries from Sam Raimi’s originals through Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise and noting current streaming availability.

Netflix’s survival thriller Apex (starring Charlize Theron) is topping Netflix’s Original film‑heavy Top 10, signaling strong viewer demand for star‑led survival/action thrillers on the platform despite mixed critical framing.

A CBR retrospective argues The Maltese Falcon's closing line remains the greatest final quote in thriller movie history, celebrating classic genre craft rather than reporting new industry activity.

The LA Times Book Prizes named winners across categories with genre-relevant winners including Silvia Park’s Luminous (SF/F) and Stephen Graham Jones’ The Buffalo Hunter Hunter (short fiction), signaling continued trade recognition for contemporary speculative and horror-adjacent authors.

Indie developer Friday Sundae premiered a trailer during the ID@Xbox Indie Showcase for Lovecraftian game There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, highlighting open-world renovation gameplay, night-time supernatural investigations, hidden ghost stories and a 30 in‑game time limit mechanic.

A Grimoire of Horror review highlights Tairyou Jigoku (THE大量地獄), a Japan-only PS2 survival-horror title from D3's SIMPLE2000 line, praising its inventive enemy designs, stress-based mechanics and cult appeal despite no English fan translation.

Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil feature has launched an official logo and website ahead of an imminent trailer — marks a major franchise theatrical release with Cregger attached as director; no budget or release date disclosed in this piece.

Verity — a psychological thriller adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel written by Nick Antosca and directed by Michael Showalter — released its trailer; the film stars Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway, co-stars Josh Hartnett, and is scheduled to open October 2, 2026.

Prime Video and MGM+ are releasing Spider-Noir (linear on MGM+ May 25, Prime Video May 27), a 1930s-set live-action noir Spider-Man offshoot starring Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly with co-showrunners Oren Uziel and Steve Lightfoot and producers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal; the series is offered in both black‑and‑white and color cuts.

True Ronin Games released a demo for Eternal Haunt, a first-person survival horror title inspired by Amnesia and Japanese folklore (Kwaidan), positioning the project for indie-horror gamer attention and feedback ahead of full release.

Critical Reflex revealed three publishing projects — SOS Recordings (a haunting historical-mystery on Steam), Cucina Stellata (culinary horror), and Grobnopolis Last Days — with SOS Recordings adapting a real-life unsolved case and launching on Steam later this year.

Teaser for Verity — a psychological thriller adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel — positions Anne Hathaway (lead) alongside Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett; awards-season potential is being discussed.