‘Dead Mall’ Comic Series Set for Film Adaptation With Michael Varrati Writing

Dead MALL courtesy of Dark Horse Comics / The Dark Horse comic Dead Mall heads to the big screen with a cosmic horror adaptation in development.

A film adaptation of the Dark Horse comic series Dead Mall is moving forward, with Not the Funeral Home securing the rights to Adam Cesare and David Stoll’s four-issue story, according to Variety.

Screenwriter Michael Varrati, whose credits include The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula and the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, is attached to write the screenplay. The adaptation will also draw from Cesare’s original story notes, including material that was not included in the published comic.

The story follows five teenagers who enter a soon-to-be-demolished mall for a final visit, only to discover that the building is no longer abandoned. Inside, they encounter a shifting environment tied to a form of cosmic horror that alters the structure and logic of the space, turning it into a maze where escape is uncertain.

Not the Funeral Home, led by Matt Manjourides and Justin Martell, will produce the project. The company has previously been involved with genre-focused productions including The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs, as well as films such as Street Trash, The Puppetman, Castle Freak, and Night of the Reaper.

In a statement, Manjourides described the project as combining elements similar to Event Horizon and Hellraiser within a mall setting.

Cesare is also known for his Clown in a Cornfield novel series, which was adapted into a feature film in 2025. At this stage, no director, cast, or release timeline has been announced for Dead Mall.