Barbarian filmmaker Zach Cregger has lined up his second project at New Line in as many weeks, as he has just signed on to produce the studio’s horror-thriller Companion from writer-director Drew Hancock.
New Line recently picked up the script, and though plot details are being kept under wraps, the studio has already agreed to fast-track production, with filming expected to start later this year.
Cregger will produce the film alongside his Barbarian cohorts Roy Lee of Vertigo, and J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules of BoulderLight Pictures. Their riding high off the success of Barbarian, which grossed $45 million worldwide on a reported production budget of just $4 million.
Cregger was actually planning to direct Companion as his follow-up to Barbarian, though he finished writing the ensemble-driven horror movie Weapons sooner than he expected and sold the project to New Line following a heated bidding war that reportedly netted him $10 million for his writing and directing services.
However, Cregger remained high on Companion and agreed to produce the film, thereby allowing its writer, Hancock, to direct the genre project. Cregger also steered the project towards New Line and helped ensure a greenlight from the studio.
Hancock has written for ABC’s Suburgatory and the Spike TV series Blue Mountain State, and he also created and executive produced the Go90 original series My Dead Ex back in 2018. He’s represented by UTA and Range Media Partners, while Cregger is repped by CAA and Artists First. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of their pairing on Companion.
