Norwegian director André Øvredal, master behind chilling hits like The Autopsy of Jane Doe and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, is back to haunt the big screen. Passenger, his latest horror project, has just received an official title and a confirmed release date from Paramount Pictures. Scheduled to hit Brazilian theaters on May 29, 2026, the film promises to be one of the genre's major releases in the first half of 2026. The project's significance, however, goes beyond the director's name, featuring a heavyweight team from the It and The Conjuring franchises behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, the plot of Passenger remains a complete mystery, as story details are being kept under wraps. The screenplay, however, is written by Zachary Donohue (of The Den) and T.W. Burgess (of Mister Howl). The confirmed main cast includes Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell, and Oscar winner Melissa Leo, which only raises expectations further. Thus, the production combines experienced talent both in front of and behind the camera to create a new horror experience.
The Masters of Fear Behind the Project
The production power behind Passenger is undoubtedly one of its greatest assets. The film is produced by Walter Hamada, former Warner Bros. executive who oversaw the successful cinematic universes of The Conjuring and It. He currently runs the production company 18hz, which has a first-look deal with Paramount. Gary Dauberman, screenwriter of the recent It adaptation, also joins the production through Coin Operated. So we're talking about a team that deeply understands how to build and sustain modern horror in cinema, which significantly raises the stakes for this new project.
This isn't the only card up 18hz's sleeve for horror fans. Before Passenger, the production company is set to release the horror film Primate, which premieres in January 2026. So genre lovers have a sequence of high-profile releases to look forward to. With the date now on the calendar, all that's left is to wait for the first trailers and images to get a glimpse of the horror that André Øvredal and his team have prepared. If the director's track record and the producers' expertise are any indication, Brazilian audiences can brace themselves for another tense and terrifying journey in the dark theaters.