Blumhouse Atomic Monster used its New York Comic Con panel to lay out a next-year slate that leans heavily on familiar horror titles and a broader transmedia pipeline.
The company confirmed new entries in five known properties: an Exorcist film starring Scarlett Johansson, Violent Night 2 with Kristen Bell, a new Blair Witch Project, a theatrical Paranormal Activity set for May 21, and a Mike P. Nelson-directed Saw 11. It also announced a short-film deal with Heidi Wong, a MatPat-led adaptation of Amanda the Adventurer, and LaKeith Stanfield’s next film Molepeople.
Legacy IP gets a creator-led reset
What stands out is not just the number of franchises, but the people Blumhouse is attaching to them. Blair Witch goes to Dylan Clark, whom James Wan described as a filmmaker who grew up on the material rather than “just plucking anyone off the internet.” Saw 11 arrives after the Blumhouse-Atomic Monster merger with the original creative team back in control.
That pattern gives each title a built-in fan story before a trailer exists. For entertainment marketers, the casting and director announcements are the first campaign beat, not the teaser.
Kristen Bell, Mrs. Claus and the power of a casting call
Bell joins David Harbour in Violent Night 2. She said Harbour called her about a Winnipeg shoot before she knew a sequel was in the works, then pitched Mrs. Claus as “every bit as capable as Santa.” That one line gives the sequel a positioning: the franchise is expanding its action-horror brand around Harbour without starting from zero.
Transmedia is the operating model
Blumhouse’s announcements go beyond theatrical. Something Is Killing the Children is being developed as both a live-action film and an adult animated series. Grave Seasons, the company’s horror game, launches March 9, with Fortnite code drops tied to The Purge‘s Lady Liberty. Paranormal Activity is also getting a modern theatrical take while its Broadway play extends into February.
- Treat franchise launches as multi-format campaigns across film, TV and games.
- Lock release windows early: May 21 for Paranormal Activity, March 9 for Grave Seasons.
- Use creator and casting reveals as short-form beats before the first trailer.
The Other Mommy naming lesson
Blum also addressed the title of Other Mommy, which has drawn criticism despite its box-office success. He said James Wan wanted Other Mother, but was outvoted. “This is probably why we should always listen to James Wan,” Blum said. It’s a small reminder that for horror IP, even a single word can become a fan-culture argument, and that argument is now part of the film’s coverage.
The takeaway for the trade is simple: Blumhouse is not just greenlighting films; it is sequencing attention across franchises, talent and formats. The companies that plan those beats together will capture more of the fan conversation than those treating each title as a one-off opening.
Source: Variety
