Passenger: André Øvredal’s new horror movie hits theaters in May 2026

Norwegian director André Øvredal, the mastermind behind chilling hits such as The Autopsy of Jane Doe and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, is back to haunt the big screen. Passenger, his newest horror project, has just received an official title and a locked release date from Paramount Pictures. Expected to reach Brazilian theaters on May 29, 2026, the film promises to be one of the genre’s biggest releases of the first half of the year. The project’s significance, however, goes beyond the director’s name, with a heavyweight team from the It and The Conjuring franchises behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, the plot of Passenger remains a total mystery, as story details are still being kept under wraps. The screenplay, however, is signed by Zachary Donohue (of The Den) and T.W. Burgess (of Mister Howl). The confirmed lead cast features Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell and Oscar winner Melissa Leo, which only raises expectations further. In this way, the production combines seasoned talent both in front of and behind the cameras to create a new horror experience.

The Producers of Panic Behind the Project

The producing power of Passenger is undoubtedly one of its greatest assets. The film is produced by Walter Hamada, the former Warner Bros. executive who led the successful The Conjuring and It cinematic universes. He currently runs the production company 18hz, which has a first-look deal with Paramount. Gary Dauberman, writer of the recent It, is also part of the production through Coin Operated. So we are talking about a team that deeply understands how to build and sustain modern horror in cinema, which considerably raises the stakes for this new project.

This is not 18hz’s only card up its sleeve for scare fans. Before Passenger, the company is set to release the horror film Primate, which premieres in January 2026. Horror lovers therefore have a string of high-level releases to follow. With the date now marked on the calendar, all that remains is to wait for the first trailers and images for 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 for another tense and terrifying journey in dark theaters.