Host, an original movie on horror streaming service Shudder, became one of the first movies to shoot during and address the coronavirus pandemic when it was released a month ago. The film is a found-footage horror film shot entirely on Zoom, and somehow managed to be both terrifying and a perfect distillation of how we all feel right now.
So it’s no surprise that director Rob Savage has quickly been snapped up by Blumhouse, the studio that focuses on horror films, on a three-picture deal. Savage’s Host collaborators, producer Douglas Cox, writers Jed Shepherd & Gemma Hurley, and editor Brenna Rangott, will also join him as a part of the deal.
Jason Blum said of the deal: “When I got a look at Host, I saw the inventiveness in his work that Ryan Turek on the Blumhouse team had been championing. We are looking forward to getting this partnership underway immediately”. Savage himself added: “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Blumhouse on these movies. Their status in the horror genre is unmatched, but I equally admire their filmmaker-led approach”.
These kinds of films – sometimes termed “Browser Horror” – have been around for a while, but hopefully Savage and his pals can continue what they started with Host and take the genre to new and interesting places.
The idea of films set entirely on Zoom or something similar definitely has an even larger appeal now considering many people have become more acquainted with that sort of online interaction in recent times.
#Peace.Love.Host
