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Production and finance company Cartel and former Shudder head Craig Engler have launched genre production and finance company Shiver Studios and announced their first two theatrical projects.

Shiver plans to produce and finance four to 10 horror films a year for theatrical-first release, followed by roll-out on TVoD, streaming, AVoD, linear and physical home entertainment releases. The company plans to work with both streamers and traditional distributors.

Cartel co-CEO’s Stan Spry and Eric Woods and Engler will serve as Co-CEOs of the new venture and will produce the first two projects Incident At Joshua Tree and Bloody Mary.

Incident At Joshua Tree hails from NCIS: Hawai’i and Colony writer-producer Noah Evslin and follows a guidance counsellor searching for her fiance who vanished on a camping trip. Her life is in danger after she discovers a chilling truth about the small Joshua Tree community. Dave Brown and Zadoc Angell of Echo Lake will also produce.

Bloody Mary from writer-producer Cameron Larson (The Legend Of La Llorona) centres on six college-bound students trapped in a plantation home in Louisiana during a hurricane. They start to die when they play a game that is rumoured will summon the titular entity. Larson will also serve as producer.

“When Craig Engler approached the Cartel about partnering on a new horror studio, we jumped at the opportunity,” said Spry. Shiver Studios is a great opportunity for Craig Engler, who has a wealth of knowledge and relationships within the horror industry. His expertise combined with Cartel’s production, financing and distribution infrastructure makes Shiver Studios a very exciting opportunity.”

“The theatrical experience has always been key to the success of great horror franchises, and with theatres back in full swing we’re seeing a huge demand from people who want to see scary movies in person again,” said Engler.

“At Shudder we focused on curating movies for the streaming audience, but Shiver Studios is going to curate films for a theatre-first approach, with an emphasis on smart concepts that can create future horror franchises.”

Among his accomplishments at Shudder, Engler oversaw the release of Skinamarink, which cost $15,000 and grossed $2m.

Cartel’s credits include AMC’s Creepshow and Syfy’s Day Of The Dead.

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