Atomic Monster and Blumhouse are joining forces for a new untitled film from “Evil Dead Rise” writer/director Lee Cronin, which is moving forward at New Line Cinema, the companies announced on Thursday.
The film will be written and directed by Cronin, and it marks the first collaboration for the recently combined companies, helmed by James Wan and Jason Blum, with Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group. Cronin’s Doppelgängers banner will also be involved.
The film will be released on April 17, 2026. A logline for the film remains under wraps.
Cronin’s last film “Evil Dead Rise” for New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures grossed nearly $150 million worldwide.
“I am super excited to be gathering up my gang of oddballs from Doppelgängers to join forces with the overlords of horror at Blumhouse and Atomic Monster. Collaborating with Jason, James and the wonderful teams from these two storied and massively successful organizations is what perfect nightmares are made of. Getting to return to New Line Cinema and my wonderful partners over there is the cherry on top. I’ve got something wickedly entertaining and terrifying hidden up my sleeve, and I can’t wait to bring it screaming to the big screen on April 17th, 2026,” Cronin said in a statement.
James Wan, Atomic Monster CEO and founder, added: “Lee is a gifted filmmaker in the world of horror whose storytelling has electrified audiences. We’re excited to collaborate with him on this project, and to bring viewers on a wildly entertaining ride.”
Jason Blum, Blumhouse CEO and founder, added: “Lee’s work is always fresh and surprising and he has an intriguing, modern take on something quite ancient that I think audiences will love. This also marks an exciting series of firsts for us: Atomic Monster and Blumhouse’s first time working with Lee and our first joint project for Warner Bros. We can’t wait to get started.”
Atomic Monster and Blumhouse are co-financing the film. James Wan and Jason Blum are producers on the film. Michael Clear and Judson Scott are executive producers. Alayna Glasthal is the executive overseeing the project for Atomic Monster.
Cronin first garnered attention with his debut feature film, “The Hole in the Ground,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019 to critical acclaim. Released by A24, the film earned Cronin a Saturn Award nomination for Breakthrough Director.
His sophomore feature, “Evil Dead Rise,” was theatrically released through New Line Cinema in April 2023. The movie debuted at SXSW and grossed $147 million worldwide.
Building on this success, Cronin joined forces with frequent collaborators John Keville and Macdara Kelleher of Wild Atlantic Pictures to launch Doppelgängers. The company has already signed a first-look deal with New Line Cinema for its feature film projects.
Under the Doppelgängers banner, the trio develops genre-focused feature films and television projects for Cronin to produce, write and direct. Cronin and New Line Cinema are currently in development on a horror-thriller titled “Thaw.”
Lee Cronin is repped by CAA, MGMT Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein.