‘Deadstream’ Directors Joseph and Vanessa Winter Take On ‘Future Me’

Joseph and Vanessa Winter, the husband-and-wife duo behind “Deadstream,” will direct the horror-thriller “Future Me,” the first title in a multi-picture deal between Longevity Pictures, Spooky Pictures and Abu Dhabi’s Image Nation Studios.

The deal links three named players: L.A.- and UAE-based Longevity Pictures, the indie genre label Spooky Pictures, and Image Nation Studios in Abu Dhabi. It builds on their earlier collaboration, the upcoming horror thriller “Home Safety Hotline,” directed by Michael Matthews (“Love and Monsters”) and based on Night Signal Entertainment’s puzzle video game of the same name.

Where does the story come from?

“Future Me” adapts a viral short story by Daria Vasileva, first published on the “NoSleep” subreddit — an online community for user-generated horror fiction. The plot follows a man “who receives a deeply unsettling email from his past self via the ‘FutureMe’ website, a message that draws him down a terrifying and increasingly surreal rabbit hole,” according to the film’s synopsis.

That origin matters commercially. “After the success of ‘Backrooms,’ the potential of internet lore as fertile ground for adaptation has become undeniable,” Longevity producer Majd Nassif (“Mercy”) said in a statement. “So we’re excited to be bringing ‘Future Me’ to life with a team which shares our passion for original and punchy genre projects.”

Who are the Winters?

“Deadstream,” their first feature, premiered at SXSW in 2022 and was then acquired by Shudder, where it became one of the platform’s most acclaimed original releases. They followed it with “To Hell and Back,” the fan-favorite segment of the found-footage (footage styled as discovered recordings) anthology “V/H/S/99.”

Their next project remains the previously announced “Amityville,” a radical spin on the franchise based on Jay Anson’s 1977 book about the paranormal experiences of the George Lutz family. That book spawned nine films between 1979 and 2005.

Who is producing?

Nassif produces for Longevity Pictures, alongside Steven Schneider (“Late Night With the Devil”) and Roy Lee (“Weapons,” “Barbarian”) for Spooky Pictures. Image Nation’s Ben Ross (“Watcher”) and Longevity’s Aysel Lyatifova (“Six Till Midnight”) executive produce.

On the “Amityville” side, a separate team applies: Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath of Divide/Conquer, plus Raphael Margules and J.D. Lifshitz of BoulderLight Pictures.

The Winters are represented by WME, TFC Management, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, and Rush & Kaller, L.L.P.

What does the deal change?

It formalizes a pipeline, not a single film. “Spooky Pictures and Image Nation Studios have built an incredible track record for championing high-concept, creator-driven horror storytelling, so expanding our partnership felt like a natural next step,” Nassif said.

Schneider and Ross added: “Longevity Pictures brings exactly the kind of creative flair and commercial instinct that we champion, so we’re thrilled to be building a slate together that combines killer storytelling with strong commercial appeal.”

They also framed the timing as strategic: “Horror filmmaking is firing on all cylinders right now, with both audiences and critics embracing fresh concepts and emerging creative voices, making this the ideal time to bring more genre films to audiences worldwide.”

Beyond “Future Me” and “Home Safety Hotline,” the partners have not named the remaining titles on the slate.