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EXCLUSIVE: Terrifier franchise backer Cineverse is lining up another Christmas treat for genre fans in the shape of a reimagining of cult horror Silent Night, Deadly Night, we can reveal.
Forty years after parents picketed outside of theaters following the release of the first Santa slasher movie in the franchise, Cineverse has acquired global rights to a new version and is launching during the American Film Market in Las Vegas.
The reboot of the franchise, written and directed by Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn, V/H/S/85) and produced by Scott Schneid and Dennis Whitehead, executive producers of the original 1984 Tri-Star film, alongside Jamie R. Thompson, goes into production “soon”. It is currently slated for a late 2025 theatrical release.
Brandon Hill & Brad Miska (Terrifier 3) will oversee for distributor Cineverse — which is riding high off the box office success of Terrifier 3 — and will executive-produce alongside Erick Opeka and Yolanda Macias.
Silent Night, Deadly Night tells the story of a child who is traumatized after seeing his parents killed by a man dressed as Santa Claus. Years later, he dons a Santa suit himself and gets bloody revenge. The movie spawned multiple sequels over the years and a loose remake in 2012. We revealed another update to the series two years ago with Orwo Studios and Black Hanger Studios (Jeepers Creepers: Reborn) but that version hasn’t made it to production so far.
The cult original was among the more controversial films of the ’80s due to its graphic violence and advertising campaign, particularly its posters and TV spots, that made significant emphasis on the killer being dressed as Santa. “You’ve made it through Halloween, now try and survive Christmas,” was the poster’s tagline.
The National Parent & Teacher Association fought to have the film removed from theaters and there were protests against the ‘Christmas movie’. Critics Siskel and Ebert were among many to condemn the film and Siskel went as far as to read names of the production crew on air, telling them, “Shame on you.”
In response, TriStar pulled all ads for the film six days after its release and the film itself was withdrawn shortly after. Despite — or perhaps thanks to — the drama, the film opened well, outgrossing Wes Craven’s A Nightmare On Elm Street, which opened on the same day. Before being pulled from theaters, the film took more than $2.4M (three times its budget) in 10 days.
“I have always been a huge fan of Silent Night, Deadly Night and can’t wait to bring Mike’s vision to fellow fans of iconic slashers,” said Cineverse Executive Director, Acquisitions, Brandon Hill. “As we have seen this year, there continues to be incredible demand for independent horror films with bite, and we believe this can deliver strong audiences from theatrical to home entertainment and streaming.”
Added Nelson: “The opportunity to work with producers involved with the original Silent Night, Deadly Night and to partner with the Terrifier 3 team is an honor. I’ll never forget walking into the video store at the mini mall when I was 5 and seeing that poster for the original film. I was in awe and started imagining what horrifying things would happen. To be a part of the film’s legacy many years later is insane! I’m looking forward to getting production underway, and unleashing my new take on this compelling story. Billy is back!”
The deal for the reboot was negotiated by Hill on behalf of Cineverse and Kevin Mills, Esquire of Kaye & Mills, on behalf of Schneid and Whitehead and Wonderwheel Entertainment.
