EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate has landed The Death Roll, a survival horror-thriller spec from Kas Graham & Rebecca Pollock, with Glen Powell and Dan Cohen aboard to produce via their Barnstorm banner, alongside Bryan Haas (The Order) via his Chasing Epic Pictures.
The Death Roll follows a couple whose dream vacation turns into a nightmare when they encounter the unexpected: an invasive 15-foot saltwater crocodile.
Barnstorm’s Ryan Schwartz will exec produce, with Chelsea Kujawa and Maria Ascanio overseeing the project for Lionsgate. Robert Melnik negotiated deals for the studio.
Screenwriters Graham and Pollock reunite with Haas following their development of a Betty Ford Netflix movie with Sarah Paulson attached to star and Ryan Murphy attached to direct. Their script Stolen Girl was turned into an actioner starring Kate Beckinsale and Scott Eastwood, which released last year. Their feature May Savidge Moves Her House is set up with Pathè with Helena Bonham Carter starring, and their suffragist home invasion film Suffer has BAFTA winner Tina Gharavi directing.
In television, Graham and Pollock served as producers on Apple TV’s Lessons in Chemistry and adapted Diane Ducret’s novel La Dictatrice as a series for FX. Following a seven-way bidding war, they’re also currently developing Young Agatha for Wiip, with additional projects set up with Monumental Pictures, Universal, A&E, and Apple France. They are represented by CAA, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment, and attorney Joel Vanderkloot. Their UK reps are Independent Talent and Revolutionary Talent, respectively.
Barnstorm is currently prepping its first feature, Universal’s untitled comedy written by Powell & Judd Apatow, who will direct with Powell starring. For the company, which just wrapped production on Chad Powers Season 2, The Death Roll marks a second spec sale in recent months, following Paramount’s acquisition of The F***boat. Barnstorm also recently announced that they will produce both a new film and television series based on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with A24.
Barnstorm and Powell are repped by CAA and JSSK. Haas is also repped by Joel Vanderkloot.