Longevity Pictures president Majd Nassif is framing this as a passion project that transforms the mundane into terror — "the walls, the basement, the thing in the attic" turned genuinely horrifying. On paper, it's a clean collaboration between well-connected genre players and a deep-pocketed European distributor with serious theatrical reach.
The real story underneath is Studiocanal's aggressive push into South African production following Canal+'s acquisition of MultiChoice Group — this isn't just a financing deal, it's a strategic foothold in a territory rich with tax incentives and growing studio infrastructure. Sixth Dimension head Jed Benedict practically admitted he's been hunting for exactly this kind of project.
Production is confirmed to begin in early 2027 in South Africa. The film will be released theatrically by Studiocanal across eight territories: U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Benelux, Poland, Australia and New Zealand. Michael Matthews — Durban-born and known for "Love and Monsters" — is directing from a screenplay by Nick Tassoni ("Lure"). Steven Schneider of "Late Night With the Devil" fame is producing via Spooky Pictures.
This deal signals that European money is getting serious about horror as a global commodity, not just a niche play. And with Canal+ quietly consolidating media assets in emerging markets, expect more projects like this to surface — funded from abroad, shot somewhere warm, and aimed squarely at your wallet worldwide.
Well, well. Studiocanal's genre label Sixth Dimension has officially thrown its weight behind "Home Safety Hotline," a horror thriller based on Night Signal Entertainment's cult puzzle video game of the same name. The financing deal was announced Tuesday via Variety, and if you think this is just another genre acquisition, you'd be missing the bigger picture — because what's happening around this project tells you far more about where European entertainment money is flowing than any press release lets on.
The film will be directed by Durban-born Michael Matthews, whose credits include "Love and Monsters" — no small name in the monster movie space. He'll be working from a screenplay by Nick Tassoni ("Lure"), with production slated to begin in South Africa during early 2027. On the producing side, you've got Steven Schneider attached through his Spooky Pictures label (he's also behind "Late Night With the Devil," which gives this project some serious genre credibility), alongside Majd Nassif for Longevity Pictures and Kameek Lucas Taitt.
The executive producer lineup rounds out with Image Nation's Ben Ross ("Watcher"), Jakob Pollack of Spooky Pictures, and Jed Benedict, who heads up Sixth Dimension — the man essentially calling the shots on this whole operation from Studiocanal's side. Here's where it gets interesting for those of us who like to follow the money. For Studiocanal, boarding "Home Safety Hotline" isn't happening in a vacuum.
The company is making a pointed play into South African production territory following Canal+'s recent acquisition of local pay-TV outfit The MultiChoice Group — which means this horror thriller is simultaneously a creative investment and a strategic anchor for something much larger in that region. Sixth Dimension will handle worldwide sales and theatrical release across Studiocanal's footprint: the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Benelux, Poland, Australia and New Zealand. That's eight territories of guaranteed theatrical exposure before the film even hits streaming.
As for the story itself — because there is one beyond the dealmaking — "Home Safety Hotline" follows an unemployed loner who takes a job as a phone operator at a home security company that, plot twist, specializes in protecting customers from horrific monsters that come out at night. It's set in the U.S., so no ambiguity about target audience there. Benedict, in a quote that borders on self-aware charm, said he hoped "a project like 'Home Safety Hotline' crosses our radar" every day — and when you factor in that Matthews is described as a "proven monster-whisperer," it's clear everyone involved believes they've got something with genuine franchise potential.
Nassif summed up the appeal simply enough: ordinary corners of a home turned genuinely terrifying, filtered through a struggling company and the unlikely people holding it together. It's a premise that's been done before in games and indie horror alike, but with this level of financing, talent attachment, and international distribution infrastructure backing it, "Home Safety Hotline" is positioning itself to be something more than just another video game adaptation landing on shuddering shelves.
