Paramount Pictures has renewed its exclusive, multi-year production deal with veteran film executive Walter Hamada’s 18Hz Productions.
Under the deal, Hamada, whose producing credits include “The Conjuring” franchise, “It” and “The Batman,” will continue to focus on the horror genre, delivering multiple low-to-mid-budget films annually for the studio.
News of the renewal comes as Paramount launches the trailer for 18Hz Productions’ upcoming horror film “Primate.” The movie — directed by Johannes Roberts and starring Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander and Troy Kotsur — follows as a group of friends’ tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival when the family’s adopted chimp abruptly turns homicidal.
“Primate” made its world premiere as the opening night screening at Fantastic Fest last month and the film — which also features Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter, Benjamin Cheng, Charlie Mann and Tienne Simon — will be released in theaters on Jan. 9.
Roberts directs from a script he co-wrote with Ernest Riera. The film is produced by Hamada alongside John Hodges and Bradley Pilz; executive producers are Vicki Dee Rock, Nathan Samdahl (for 18Hz), Roberts, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro and Andrew Lary.
18hz Productions’ upcoming slate includes an untitled horror film from director André Øvredal, which stars Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell and Melissa Leo and is written by Zachary Donohue and T.W. Burgess; “Familiar” from director Caye Casas (“The Coffee Table”), based on an original script by Julien Magnat; and “Suffer Little Children” from writer-director Rodrigue Huart, which is a reimagining of the cult classic 1976 Spanish horror movie “Who Can Kill a Child?.” Plot details are under wraps, but the original film — directed by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador and based on the novel “El Juego de Los Ninos” by Juan José Plans — follows a couple who travel to a remote island for vacation only to realize that all the adults there have been killed.
Øvredal’s film is produced by Hamada and Gary Dauberman via Coin Operated, with 18Hz’s Nathan Samdahl executive producing; Nick Romano will executive produce “Familiar” and “Suffer Little Children” on behalf of the company; the latter film is produced by Hamada alongside rightsholder Pablo Cruz of Canana.
(Pictured above: Walter Hamada with “Primate’s” Troy Kotsur, Johnny Sequoyah and Johannes Roberts, and John Hodges.)
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