Lucky Number to kick off a new genre called sporror (sports horror)

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Cheerleader Camp

I'm going to assume that anyone reading Arrow in the Head likes horror, but do you like sports as well? Are you disappointed that the worlds of sports and horror don't collide often enough? Well, Gunpowder & Sky and Mandalay Sports Media have noticed the lack of sports-themed horror and are teaming up to create a new genre specifically for sports-loving horror fans. They're calling it sporror.

Gunpowder & Sky's Van Toffler explains, 

Digital audiences are devouring horror films and sports entertainment so it only seemed natural to create content that caters to both passions at the same time."

The first entry in the sporror genre, which will be set in and star celebrities from the world of sports, is called LUCKY NUMBER. A director has not yet been hired, but there is a screenplay in place by Aaron Cooley. The story centers on 

a pro basketball superstar who must pay up on a deal he made with the devil, transforming into the most athletic — and frightening —  killer in cinematic history.

The most frightening killer in cinematic history? They're certainly not holding back on the hype for this one.

Toffler will be executive producing the sporror films alongside Mandalay Sports Media's Mike Tollin and Jon Weinbach. Weinbach had this to say about their endeavor: 

There are few places more frightening than a dark, empty arena, and the sports landscape is full of strange and authentically frightening characters. We've never seen a mash-up between horror and sports, where everything from a hockey skate to a nacho cheese vat can be dangerous – or even deadly."

I'm not a sports fan myself and never thought of sporror as a genre that was needed, but I will be keeping track of the movies that come out of this Gunpowder & Sky / Mandalay Sports partnership. Even though I'm likely to have no familiarity with the celebrities who end up starring in them.

Robert Patrick The Faculty

THE FACULTY

Source: Variety

About the Author

Cody is a news editor and film critic, focused on the horror arm of JoBlo.com, and writes scripts for videos that are released through the JoBlo Originals and JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channels. In his spare time, he's a globe-trotting digital nomad, runs a personal blog called Life Between Frames, and writes novels and screenplays.