One of SXSW’s buzziest horror films just got acquired by a major studio. Searchlight Pictures just bought the US rights to Monitor, the feature debut from Matt Black and Ryan Polly about a cursed Internet video that took the Texas film festival by storm.
Directed by Black and Polly, Monitor stars Brittany O’Grady, Viveik Karla, Ines Høysæter Asserson, Gunner Willis, Sara Alexander and Camila Bejarano Wahlgren. The film’s logline is as follows:
After a disturbing video surfaces online, something begins to spread — moving from screen to screen and targeting anyone who watches. No escape. No warning. Once you’ve seen it … it’s already too late.
“When we made the original Monitor short film eight years ago, we never imagined it would one day find a home at Searchlight Pictures,” said Black and Polly. “We’re beyond thrilled to be partnering with them to bring this monster to theaters, where it truly belongs on the big screen. Monitor was always meant to be experienced with a room full of people being terrified together. We’re incredibly grateful to our entire cast and crew and our partners at Temple Hill and Nostromo Pictures, who championed this project from the beginning and helped make this moment possible.”
Monitor is produced by Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, John Fischer and Adrian Guerra, with executive producers Nuria Valls, Hal Sadoff, Ben Levine, Dave Bishop and George Hamilton. Searchlight is also set to distribute the film in the UK, with plans for a 2027 release date.
“Matt and Ryan have crafted a visceral, modern thriller that taps directly into our collective fear of what may lurk just out of view, at the edges of our screens — delivering a truly wild ride,” said Searchlight’s president Matthew Greenfield. “We can’t wait to bring it to audiences.”
No release date has been set for Monitor. Stay tuned to FANGORIA for more updates.
