movies

Paramount Pictures is closing deals with Robert Pattinson and Smile filmmaker Parker Finn to tackle a remake of Possession, the cult 1981 psychological supernatural horror movie written and directed by Polish filmmaker Andrzej Zulawski.

The deal is being made in the shadow of the landmark transaction that saw parent company Paramount Global agree to be acquired by a consortium led by Skydance. That deal will take about a year to complete, including clearing regulatory hurdles.

The Possession pact is personal for Paramount CEO Brian Robbins and motion picture co-heads Daria Cercek and Michael Ireland, who fought hard to keep Finn in the Paramount family. He’s a homegrown talent, with Smile becoming a surprise hit at Paramount in 2022.

Finn will write the script, direct and produce via his Bad Feeling banner. Pattinson will produce via his production company Icki Eneo Arlo. His acting involvement will be clarified down the road as the script and schedules develop.

Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee, who helped produce Zach Cregger’s breakout Barbarian, will also produce.

The package hit the town in mid-June, quickly eliciting a bidding war. According to sources, theatrical players Warner Bros., Sony and Paramount were the final bidders.

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The deal marks a leveling up for Finn, who is in post on Smile 2 for Paramount and has a first-look deal with the studio. Possession was not part of the first-look, but the studio has seen Smile 2 and feels tremendously high on it.

Possession is intended to be Finn’s next movie. It will afford Finn a bigger scale, but sources say he hopes to keep an eye on an intimate story.