Horror Industry News — Thursday, May 21, 2026

Michael Bay will direct a Universal adaptation of Mitchell Zuckoff’s forthcoming book about Operation Epic Fury, reuniting Bay with producers Erwin Stoff and Scott Gardenhour; the film dramatizes a large-scale 2026 rescue mission in Iran and follows Bay’s recent return to narrative features.

Alice Rohrwacher’s first English-language feature is in production; Indian Paintbrush-financed gothic drama Three Incestuous Sisters began 10 weeks of photography in Stromboli and Rome in April with Mick Jagger joining a cast led by Dakota Johnson, Josh O’Connor, Saoirse Ronan, Jessie Buckley and Isabella Rossellini; Rohrwacher and several cast members are producing.

S&P says it will cut Paramount’s issuer rating another notch to BB upon closing of the $110B Warner Bros. Discovery merger, citing elevated leverage (forecast ~7.6x initially) and execution risk while expecting multi-year deleveraging targets tied to Ellison’s plan and $6B of cost synergies; regulators and state AGs still reviewing the deal with a projected close by Sept. 30.

Paramount+ will stream Scream 7 on May 28, 2026; Kevin Williamson and Guy Busick credited on the screenplay with Neve Campbell, Isabel May and a broad returning cast, and the film sits as the franchise’s top grosser at $214M worldwide.

Jenna Ortega attaches to Leos Carax’s Lily May B as financing and market activity whirled at Cannes; the film aims to begin shooting Spring 2027 with Hugo Sélignac overseeing production and a full cast rollout due in September.

Sony Pictures Classics acquired North America, Latin America, India and Southeast Asian TV rights to Louis Clichy’s hand-drawn debut Iron Boy following its Un Certain Regard premiere at Cannes; Playtime negotiated the deal with SPC execs Tom, Michael and Dylan guiding U.S. distribution.

Netflix is running David Fincher’s Cliff Booth in IMAX for two weeks beginning Thanksgiving (Nov. 25) ahead of a Dec. 23 global Netflix drop; cast includes Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino and Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II and Pitt is producing with Ceán Chaffin.