‘Smile’ Director Parker Finn’s ‘Possession’ Remake Starring Callum Turner & Margaret Qualley Sets Release Date

Parker Finn made his mark on modern horror with 2022’s “Smile,” a sleeper hit that grossed $217 million globally on a modest $17 million budget before spawning an equally successful sequel two years later. Having established himself as one of the genre’s most reliable rising filmmakers, Finn is now turning his attention to reimagining a very different kind of horror classic for his next project.

That project is a remake of “Possession,” Andrzej Żuławski’s 1981 cult supernatural thriller starring Isabelle Adjani and the late Sam Neill. The original film followed a married couple whose relationship spirals into surreal, nightmarish territory after Anna, played by Adjani in a performance that won her Best Actress at Cannes, asks her husband Mark for a divorce and begins exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior.

Now, Paramount has officially locked in a release date for Finn’s reimagining, setting the film for June 11, 2027, with Callum Turner and Margaret Qualley starring as the couple originally played by Neill and Adjani. The film will open opposite Universal’s live-action remake of “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” positioning Paramount’s take on a notoriously divisive cult classic as genuine counter-programming against a major family-friendly release.

Speaking about his connection to the source material, Finn described Żuławski’s original as one of his absolute favorite films of all time, explaining that he’s planning something viciously sharp and ferocious that honors the original while also functioning as a spiritual successor in dialogue with it, according to World of Reel.

Beyond Turner and Qualley, the remake has assembled a notable supporting cast, including Diego Calva, Madeline Brewer, Emory Cohen, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Paul Dano rounding out the ensemble. That lineup gives the project significant star power well beyond its two leads, reflecting the level of confidence Paramount appears to be placing in the film’s commercial potential.

Production on the film has already gotten underway, with Finn directing from his own script based on Żuławski’s original story. He’s producing through his Bad Feeling banner alongside Jonathan Fass, with Roy Lee and Andrew Childs producing through Vertigo, and Robert Pattinson also attached as a producer on the project.

The original “Possession” was famously banned upon its initial 1981 release and never became a major commercial hit, instead slowly building a devoted cult following over the decades that’s only grown further in recent years thanks to renewed attention on platforms like TikTok. That history makes Paramount’s decision to position the remake as a wide summer blockbuster release, rather than a smaller fall festival title, a notable bet on the material’s mainstream appeal.

Finn’s track record with “Smile” and its sequel offers some justification for that confidence, given how both films managed to become sleeper theatrical successes despite the first entry originally being developed as a streaming release. With Paramount having already demonstrated a broader commitment to theatrical releases through its 45-day exclusivity window policy, “Possession” appears set to test whether Finn’s horror sensibilities can translate a beloved arthouse cult classic into another genuine box office hit.

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