Screen Gems forms Horror Lab to develop genre projects

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Sony's Screen Gems division has put out their share of horror movies over the years, with titles including DON'T BREATHE, HOSTEL, RESIDENT EVIL, UNDERWORLD, and remakes of CARRIE, THE STEPFATHER, and PROM NIGHT (pictured above). The company is looking to bring even more horror movies to us in the future, and to do so they're teaming with management and production company Ground Control to open the Screen Gems Horror Lab,

an initiative that will focus on the development and production of horror genre proof-of-concepts. The program aims to collaborate with burgeoning filmmakers to produce horror shorts with the primary goal of developing new, original content into feature films.

Screen Gems head Steve Bersch had this to say about the project: 

We envision the Horror Lab as another step in the evolution of our label as a leading genre supplier. We pride ourselves on supporting next generation creatives and see this as another way to bring exciting new talent and ideas to global audiences."

Ground Control founder Scott Glassgold will be producing the proof-of-concept shorts and any feature adaptations that may result. Scott Strauss and Michael Bitar will be overseeing the lab program for the studio.

Glassgold says: 

With proof-of-concept emerging as a reliable source material for feature films, the aim is to work with filmmakers at the incubation stage to help actualize their concepts and grow the material organically through the development process. We are providing a one-of-a-kind launch pad for horror filmmakers and films of tomorrow."

The search is now on for diverse filmmakers from around the world who have strong, original horror concepts and are interested in participating in the Horror Lab project.

The Horror Lab is an intriguing idea. I hope it will live up to its potential and we'll be seeing some great horror movies come out of this endeavor.