Blumhouse, the studio behind The Black Phone 2 and the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, has secured the rights to Something Is Killing the Children. The popular Boom! Studios comic, created by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera, was the subject of an intense multi-company bidding war.
Two Adaptations in the Works
Blumhouse plans to bring the franchise to life in two forms: a live-action feature film and an adult animated television series. Both projects will be developed simultaneously, with Tynion overseeing the TV adaptation.
A Long Road to the Screen
The series has drawn Hollywood’s attention since its 2019 debut. It was previously in development as a live-action show at Netflix, which ultimately passed at the end of 2024. The streamer spent months developing it with Mike Flanagan, followed by Dark creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, before deciding not to move forward.
Netflix’s film division tried to reenter the race for the rights, as did Lionsgate, but Blumhouse made the stronger offer. The studio was especially drawn to the story’s eerie premise—a world where children can see monsters while adults cannot.
A Horror Boom Continues
Industry sources say the recent success of Zach Cregger’s summer horror hit Weapons fueled the competition. The project signals Hollywood’s continued appetite for high-concept, character-driven horror with franchise potential.
The Team Behind the Monsters
Jason Blum will produce the live-action film for Blumhouse, with Shaun Sutton and Ryan Turek serving as executive producers. Stephen Christy and James Tynion IV will produce for Boom! Studios and Penguin Random House, while Adam Yoelin and Mette Norkjaer join as executive producers. Series co-creator Werther Dell’Edera will serve as co-producer.
Something Is Killing the Children has already become a modern horror classic in comics. Under Blumhouse’s watch, it’s now poised to terrify an even larger audience on both the big and small screens.
