Blumhouse Maps Ten-Project Horror Slate at New York Comic Con

Blumhouse Atomic Monster unveiled its upcoming slate at a 90-minute New York Comic Con panel on Friday night, headlined by a new "Exorcist" installment starring Scarlett Johansson, "Violent Night 2" with Kristen Bell, and a third "Blair Witch Project" helmed by YouTube-trained filmmaker Dylan Clark.

Producer Jason Blum and director James Wan led the presentation as "Other Mommy," their latest horror release, opened in theaters to poor notices but a robust weekend haul.

What drove the 'Other Mommy' title controversy?

The film's name drew particular scrutiny online, with viewers questioning why it wasn't called "Other Mother" — both for rhyme and to mirror Neil Gaiman's "Coraline."

"Well, funnily enough, my partner James Wan wanted to call it 'Other Mother,' and he got outvoted," Blum told the audience. "This is probably why we should always listen to James Wan."

How did Kristen Bell land the 'Violent Night 2' role?

Bell will play Mrs. Claus opposite David Harbour's Santa, with production based in Winnipeg. The casting hinged on a single phone call.

"It was thrilling to get this call from David. I think I was so confused when he called, because I didn't even know they were making a second one," Bell said.

She continued: "David called and said, 'I need you to come to Winnipeg.' And I was like, 'What? No.'"

Once convinced, Bell leaned into the role. "'Badass and she's every bit as capable as Santa is,'" she recalled him saying. "And I said, 'Say more.' And we made it work."

Which reboots did the studio confirm?

The panel locked three long-gestating revivals:

• "Paranormal Activity," with a teaser featuring director Ian Tuason reenacting the original's most notorious footage. The remake opens in theaters May 21 and runs alongside a Broadway extension into February.
• "The Blair Witch Project," a fresh take from Clark, a filmmaker Wan praised for his reverence to the source material.
• "Saw 11," directed by Mike P. Nelson. Wan and Leigh Whannell return as creative leads.

"'Paranormal Activity' is such an emotional movie for me, because it's really how Blumhouse started," Blum said. "It really gave birth to everything that we've done."

On Clark, Wan described the director's online background as an asset. "Dylan is another one of these great filmmakers, YouTubers who've made a bunch of really great shorts online," Wan said. "It's these filmmakers who actually have a lot of reverence for these films. They grew up with it, and they have a lot of admiration for it. So we're not just plucking anyone off the internet."

"Saw 11" had been shelved for years until the Blumhouse-Atomic Monster merger unblocked the project. Blum told the room he offered Wan and Whannell creative control. "I want to make sure that you're in the driver's seat for how it's going to go creatively," Blum said. "It's going to feel different than every other Saw movie before, maybe except the first."

Where does Blumhouse go beyond horror sequels?

The slate stretches well past franchise revivals:

• "Molepeople," starring Oscar nominee LaKeith Stanfield.
• A short-film pact with Heidi Wong.
• A film adaptation of the indie video game "Amanda the Adventurer," fronted by creator MatPat.
• "Something Is Killing the Children," directed by Craig Zobel and adapted from BOOM! Studios in partnership with Penguin Random House.

In gaming, Blumhouse's first title, "Grave Seasons," launches March 9. The release ties into Fortnite's Fortnightmares event, where prize packs will carry codes celebrating the Purge's Lady Liberty.

The next twelve months will test whether Blumhouse Atomic Monster can convert a dense slate of dormant franchises, gaming ventures, and literary adaptations into a year-round horror pipeline that outlasts the convention's opening weekend.