Hammer Films Owner Acquires Susan Hill’s Complete Works, Opening Door for More ‘Woman in Black’
Hammer Films could be heading back into the fog-shrouded world of The Woman in Black as its parent company makes a major investment in the work of author Dame Susan Hill.
John Gore Studios, which owns the legendary British horror label, has acquired all rights to Hill’s complete body of work, according to Variety. The deal gives the company access to a literary catalog spanning more than six decades and, perhaps most notably for horror audiences, includes Hill’s landmark 1983 Gothic ghost story The Woman in Black.
John Gore Studios plans to explore Hill’s portfolio for potential film and television projects, along with theatrical opportunities where existing rights arrangements permit.
For Hammer, the acquisition carries particular significance.
The studio previously adapted The Woman in Black into the 2012 supernatural horror film starring Daniel Radcliffe. Directed by James Watkins, the movie became a major commercial success, earning $127.7 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing British horror film in two decades at the time. It also delivered the biggest U.S. opening in Hammer’s history.
The property subsequently continued on screen with 2014’s The Woman in Black: Angel of Death.
Hill’s original story had already established an enormous legacy outside cinema. Stephen Mallatratt’s stage adaptation ran in London’s West End for 33 years, helping transform the tale into one of Britain’s most recognizable modern ghost stories.
The acquisition does not yet amount to an announcement of another Woman in Black movie, but it gives John Gore Studios control of a property with a proven connection to Hammer as the company considers the future of the historic horror brand.
“For any author, it’s heartening to see their stories continue to find new life,” Hill said. “John Gore Studios brings together a genuine respect for heritage with an understanding of how classic stories can reach new audiences, and Hammer has a long and distinguished place in the history of British gothic storytelling, so I’m very pleased that these worlds can come together for the next chapter.”
The deal also stretches considerably beyond The Woman in Black.
Hill’s writing includes literary fiction, crime novels, children’s books, memoir and radio drama. Her 1972 novel The Bird of Night was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, while her career honors include the Somerset Maugham Award and Whitbread Novel Award. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
John Gore Studios founder and executive chairman John Gore described the acquisition as an opportunity to become a custodian of Hill’s larger literary legacy while finding new avenues for her stories.
“Susan Hill is one of Britain’s most distinctive literary voices, and it is a privilege to become a custodian of such an extraordinary body of work,” Gore said. “Our ambition is to approach these stories with the same care, craftmanship and respect for character, suspense and atmosphere that Susan has brought to them throughout her career.”
Gore added that Hill’s voice and vision would remain central as the studio explores adaptations across film, television and other formats.
The acquisition comes during a period of renewed activity for Hammer.
Gore, a theater producer and entertainment executive, acquired Hammer Films in late 2023. Since then, the company has continued working with the studio’s extensive catalog, including 4K restorations of films from its library.
Gore recently told Variety that the company is also examining opportunities to bring some of Hammer’s signature monsters back to the screen, including new interpretations of Dracula and Frankenstein.
Adding Hill’s catalog gives the company another established corner of British Gothic storytelling to develop alongside those classic Hammer properties.
“The success of The Woman in Black proved the power of her storytelling on screen, but that is only the beginning,” John Gore Studios Chief Operating Officer Anouska Spiers said. “Susan Hill’s catalogue offers a rich world of gothic horror, psychological suspense and unforgettable characters and we look forward to expanding that legacy.”
Spiers led the acquisition and will oversee portfolio and franchise management along with the company’s broader exploitation strategy. Chief Creative Officer Francis Hopkinson and the John Gore Studios creative team will oversee development.
Hill will also remain directly involved with future projects. According to the company, the author will participate in the ongoing management and development strategy surrounding her catalog and serve as an executive producer on new projects.
Hill is represented by Peters Fraser and Dunlop, with PFD CEO and literary agent Caroline Michel instrumental in bringing the transaction together. The agency will continue representing John Gore Studios as owner of the works.
No individual adaptation has been announced as part of the acquisition.
Still, the combination of Hammer and Hill’s complete catalog creates an intriguing path forward for a studio increasingly looking both to its history and to new material capable of extending its Gothic horror identity.
And with The Woman in Black now under the same corporate roof as the company responsible for its hugely successful 2012 adaptation, one of Hammer’s most important modern horror properties is once again firmly within reach.
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