Blumhouse-Atomic Monster Acquire Fantastic Fest Puppet Horror Play
Summary
Nicolas Curcio's debut won the first Fantastic Pitches competition, which came with $100,000 in financing and a deadline to deliver a finished film to the next festival.
"Focus Features and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster have acquired Play House, Nicolas Curcio's feature directing debut, following its world premiere at Fantastic Fest, Dread Central reported Friday. Fangoria reported that the film, made for just over $100,000, is headed to theaters in 2027. Deal terms were not disclosed.
Curcio, who is known for a popular TikTok account where he shares screenwriting tips, wrote the film with Kirby Gladstein. Will Harrison stars as Elliot, a man who buys a rundown house to get his life in order and win back his ex, then finds VHS tapes of an unaired children's TV show in the basement that pull him into the house's dark history. Jessica Sula, Jordan Gonzalez and James Urbaniak co-star.
The project won the inaugural Fantastic Pitches competition run by Fantastic Fest and Chroma, which awarded $100,000 in production financing on the condition that the winners deliver a finished film to the following year's festival. Dread Central's Mary Beth McAndrews called it ""a deeply affecting horror experience that's both haunting and life-affirming in one fell swoop."""