Blumhouse Is Remaking a Horror Movie Where Making Eye Contact Could Get You Killed
Blumhouse has built its entire identity around finding the next great horror concept before anyone else catches on, whether that means launching original franchises or reviving beloved genre classics for new audiences. The studio’s latest move follows that same instinct, this time reaching across the Atlantic for inspiration.
That instinct has led Blumhouse Atomic Monster to team up with AR Content and Vertigo Entertainment on an English-language remake of a critically acclaimed French-Belgian thriller that made serious waves on the festival circuit just a few years ago. The original film’s premise alone has been enough to generate buzz well before any casting details have emerged.
‘Vincent Must Die,’ directed by Stéphan Castang, follows an ordinary office worker named Vincent whose mundane life collapses once strangers, coworkers, and even neighbors begin flying into violent, homicidal rages the instant they make direct eye contact with him. The film originally premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week program before eventually reaching American theaters as part of a Halloween double bill.
David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, the screenwriter behind ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ and ‘Insidious: Out of the Further,’ has signed on to both write and direct the American remake, marking his feature directorial debut. Johnson-McGoldrick expressed genuine enthusiasm about the project, saying he fell immediately in love with the original film and considers stepping into its world a dream opportunity, according to a statement shared with Variety.
His background makes him a fitting choice for the material. Beyond his Conjuring universe credits, Johnson-McGoldrick has also written ‘Orphan’ and ‘Aquaman,’ giving him experience across both grounded horror and larger studio franchise filmmaking, a combination that could serve the tonal balancing act the original film pulled off so effectively.
That balancing act was central to what made the original ‘Vincent Must Die’ stand out critically. The film currently holds a 93 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising its gradual shift from offbeat dark comedy into genuinely tense horror-drama territory, anchored by a standout lead performance from actor Karim Leklou in the title role.
Producers on the remake include AR Content’s Alexander Rodnyansky and Michael Kupisk, Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee, and Atomic Monster’s Michael Clear, with Stuart Manashil serving as executive producer alongside Goodfellas. Clear expressed enthusiasm about continuing his working relationship with Johnson-McGoldrick, noting the writer-director’s consistent ability to bring a strong sense of story and cinematic craft to every project he takes on.
Rodnyansky echoed that sentiment, calling the original film an extraordinary piece of cinema and expressing confidence in Johnson-McGoldrick’s vision for introducing the story to a wider audience. That confidence lines up with Blumhouse’s broader strategy this year, which has already included remakes of other acclaimed horror properties across its slate.
This isn’t the only international horror property currently being adapted under the Blumhouse banner, either. The studio has also confirmed a reimagining of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ this year, alongside new franchise installments tied to ‘The Exorcist,’ ‘Paranormal Activity,’ and ‘Saw,’ underscoring just how aggressively the company continues expanding its genre footprint.
No casting announcements or release date have been confirmed yet for the ‘Vincent Must Die’ remake, leaving plenty of room for speculation about who might step into Leklou’s role for the English-language version. Given the strength of the source material and the pedigree behind this new adaptation, horror fans have real reason to keep a close eye on this one as more details emerge.
What do you think about Blumhouse remaking Vincent Must Die for English-speaking audiences?
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