SMILE Star Is Writing & Starring In His Own Monster Movie

The scream king is taking on a new role behind the camera.
Kyle Gallner in SMILE (Credit: Paramount Pictures)
Kyle Gallner in SMILE (Credit: Paramount Pictures)

Last Updated on November 7, 2025 by Angel Melanson

After years of starring in fan-favorite horror films, scream king Kyle Gallner is taking things one step further. Deadline reports that the Strange Darling star is set to star in the monster thriller Man Vs, from a script he also wrote, to be directed by Radio Silence co-founder Justin Martinez, following a miner fighting off not only the elements of a harsh winter, but something much more sinister as well.ย 

In addition to Martinex directing, Man Vs will also be produced by the other members of Radio Silence, Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, as well as Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Chad Villella, Stephen Braun, Ross Putman, Ben Ross, and Josh Goldbloom. The filmโ€™s synopsis is as follows:ย 

Betrayed and left to die in an unforgiving Rocky Mountain winter, an injured gold rush miner (Gallner) must use everything at his disposal to survive the elements, wild animals and a looming, ancient danger far more terrifying than anything he could imagine.

โ€œMan Vs has everything I love in a survival movie and takes it to another level,โ€ Martinez told Deadline. โ€œKyle has written a fantastic creature feature and Iโ€™m excited to bring it to life for the world.โ€

Having been acquired by Mister Smith Entertainment, Man Vs follows Martinezโ€™s work as a director on anthologies like V/H/S and V/H/S/BEYOND, as well as VFX work on films like Terrifier 3, and arrives after Kyle Gallnerโ€™s spectacular run in films like Strange Darling, Smile and its sequel, and the 2022 Scream film, marking him as one of the most impressive horror stars of the last decade.ย 

โ€œWe are looking for sheer excellence and originality in the genre films that we take on, and Kyleโ€™s wild vision for Man Vs. is exactly that,โ€ says Mister Smithโ€™s Shane Kelly. โ€œWith Justin at the helm and surrounded by the producers of some of the most original horror fare in recent memory, this is going to be a must-see theatrical thrill ride.โ€

No release date has been announced for Man Vs. Stay tuned to FANGORIA for more updates as they arrive.