Horror Industry News — Friday, May 1, 2026

Lionsgate and Blumhouse/Atomic Monster are rebooting the Blair Witch franchise with Dylan Clark set to direct and original star Michael C. Williams boarding as an executive producer; project is in development and positioned as a new entry rather than a straight remake.

Consumers filed an antitrust challenge arguing the Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros Discovery tie-up would lessen competition across premium programming, national news and theatrical distribution; complaint cites prior Paramount takeover by Skydance and seeks injunction plus divestiture remedies under the Clayton Act.

Netflix has started production on Under Paris 2 in southern France with Alexandre Aja boarding to direct and Xavier Gens staying on as co-writer; original stars Bérénice Bejo and Nassim Lyes return and the franchise arrives off 102M+ Netflix views for the first film.

$111 billion Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery faces a fresh antitrust and 'viewpoint diversity' complaint filed by five consumers seeking to block the merger; plaintiffs argue consolidation will reduce competition and editorial independence while Paramount denies the suit's merit.

Sony/Columbia; Cregger says the film lives alongside Resident Evil 2 and minimizes traditional zombie set-pieces in favor of “weird creature” mechanics and evolving antagonists; film emphasizes game-like rhythm, weapon progression and resource scarcity across escalating set pieces.

Two Brothers Pictures and Rebellion are co-producing a TV adaptation of BAFTA-winning game Atomfall with Harry and Jack Williams writing and Jason and Chris Kingsley EPing; the series will expand the game’s Lake District quarantine-zone mythology and lever the game’s 3.7M-player footprint to drive audience carryover.

Paramount has released the six-minute stop-motion/live-action short The Littles starring Violet McGraw online; the short is a previously acquired festival title that Paramount plans to expand into a feature adaptation.

Apple TV+ launches its 10-episode Cape Fear psychological horror series with a June 5 two-episode global premiere; showrunner Nick Antosca leads the project with executive producers Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg and cast including Amy Adams, Javier Bardem and Patrick Wilson.

Apple TV+ is building a long-term Cosmere franchise across film and TV after acquiring Brandon Sanderson's universe; project positioning aims to evolve from fantasy origins into a galaxy-spanning sci-fi epic and establish a major IP pipeline for the streamer.

Kevin Bacon boards Hulu pilot Southern Bastards, adapted from the graphic novels; project centers on a tenacious military vet played by Erin Kellyman confronting organized crime run by a character played by Tim McGraw, positioning the series as a crime-thriller with high-profile casting and production activity in Atlanta.

AMC+ acquired U.S. rights to Crave’s Yaga, securing North American streaming for the title and expanding AMC+’s genre slate; the pickup follows the Canadian release and signals continued U.S. demand for international horror/folklore-driven content.

$24 billion in sovereign-fund equity committed to the Paramount takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery; Rep. Sam Liccardo urges the FCC to reject foreign-ownership approval citing national-security and press-independence concerns as the proposed funds would hold ~38.5% equity and push total foreign investment toward 50%.

$111B Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery takeover faces regulatory and labor friction; unions including the WGA and Teamsters have flagged layoffs and production impacts, potential DOJ/FTC review is automatic given the deal size and disclosed termination/penalty figures.

$643.1M Q1 revenue; net loss narrowed to $6.4M driven by 24M patrons and higher concessions; Cinemark is expanding PLF screens and pressing studios on theatrical windows amid studio consolidation talk and Netflix theatrical experiments.

Steve Hilton proposes a federal production tax incentive layered atop state credits with rates up to 60% and never below 40%, plus uncapped state credits and reserved allocations for indie mid‑budget productions; plan aims to reverse production exodus and would materially reshape U.S. competitiveness with Canada/UK/Australia on film shoots.

Cinemark narrowed Q1 net loss to $6M on $643M revenue as a stronger box office mix — including Paramount’s Scream 7, Sony’s GOAT and indie horror hits like Iron Lung — helped lift domestic grosses to $1.77B for the quarter; CEO Sean Gamble backed studios’ shift to a 45‑day theatrical window as a positive correction for smaller titles.

Hollywood is increasingly pushing movie promotion into gaming platforms like Fortnite and Roblox to drive engagement; Sawhorse co‑founder Nic Hill says majors are activating across these spaces, and Rockstar’s GTA6 UGC rumors represent a major new opportunity for R‑rated and edgier titles.

Wasserman Agency is up for sale with bidders circling and a multibillion-dollar price tag on the table; the auction is reshaping representation stakes and signals consolidation pressure in the talent-agency market while regulators probe other entertainment gatekeepers.

Sony Future Filmmaker Awards shortlist confirmed; winners attend Sony Pictures Studios June program; Future Format winner announced (Innocent Yama Lamido) receives Sony imaging kit and program invitation.

Summer 2026 preview highlights a horror-forward slate including Damian McCarthy’s Irish shocker Hokum, Curry Baker’s TIFF-buzzed Obsession, André Øvredal’s Passenger (Paramount), and A24’s much-hyped Backrooms adaptation; positions horror as counterprogramming across the season and flags high-profile genre titles that could shift audience dynamics.

Indie title Dice of Arcana blends Baltaro-style roguelike mechanics with first‑person, narrative horror aboard a cursed caravan; demo shows finger‑losing stakes, collectible minis and dice, and strong worldbuilding that could position it as a standout in creepy tabletop-adjacent games.

Visit Films has lined up a Cannes sales slate including Sophia Takal’s thriller Act One (buyers screening ahead of Tribeca), SXSW and Sundance selections and documentaries with Magnolia attached for North America, positioning the company as a market conduit for indie festival titles.

Finestkind, produced by Taylor Sheridan and starring Jenna Ortega, is experiencing a streaming resurgence on Paramount+ across multiple Latin American markets; Ortega’s star power credited for lifting the film despite weak critical reception.

Raven Banner acquires genre titles Deathgasm and I Am Thor for distribution; the boutique genre outfit expands its catalog with a gorey metal‑horror (Deathgasm) and a music‑doc (I Am Thor), signaling continued demand for festival‑to‑specialist distro buys.

Quiver Distribution has acquired worldwide rights to Kristian McKay’s Texas-shot horror thriller KillTrip; ensemble cast and summer release set for July 17, with Obscura Films producing and Stelio Savante brokering the deal.

Creature Commandos showrunner Dean Lorey says season 2 scripts are nearly complete and animatics are underway, teases the S02E01 title 'Starry Night' and confirms a beefed-up roster that keeps returning cast members and new creature designs as Warner Bros. Animation fast-tracks the season.

Damien Fannon’s AI-themed horror Ivan premiered at Panic Fest and will screen at Grimmfest; poster exclusive debuts signal festival trajectory and genre positioning for tech-driven horror.

A24 teases deeper scares for Kane Parsons’ Backrooms with a new clip that hints at a stalking presence; Chiwetel Ejiofor leads as a furniture-store owner discovering a vast, escalating liminal maze alongside Renate Reinsve, Lukita Maxwell and Finn Bennett, with the film set to hit May 29, 2026.