UPDATE: In what is the biggest worldwide deal from this year’s European Film Market, so far, Sony Pictures is close to sealing a deal for JT Mollner’s “Skeletons,” which has turned into quite the hot package in recent days. Sony beat out multiple studios by dishing out $25M for the film, which is set to enter production this summer.
EARLIER: JT Mollner has been on the rise following the breakout success of “Strange Darling,” a 2024 psychological thriller that scored 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and won several genre awards.
Mollner is now bringing his next project to the EFM market this week at the Berlinale — it’s called “Skeletons,” and it will star Brie Larson. Curiously, Larson hasn’t been seen on the big screen since “The Marvels,” released in 2023 — she probably needed a break.
“Skeletons” is a modern take on the creature horror film, told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover that his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.
J.J. Abrams is producing and FilmNation, WME and CAA are backing the project at the market. A shoot later this year is expected on the film.
Mollner, who was recently tasked by A24 to reboot “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” wouldn’t be in this position without “Strange Darling” — a pulpy, blood-soaked thriller told out of order, following a violent cat-and-mouse game between a woman and a man on the run through the Pacific Northwest.
Shot on 35mm and leaning hard into grindhouse vibes, “Strange Darling” played like a love letter to ’70s exploitation cinema. Even more impressive: it was made on a shoestring $3M budget.
I wouldn’t expect the budget on “Skeletons” to surpass $10M. In an era of bloat and diminishing returns, Mollner stood out as proof that cheapies can still break through — and it firmly put him on Hollywood’s radar.