New Line Cinema Acquires Remake Rights to Italian Psychological Horror ‘THE SPIRAL’
New Line Cinema Acquires Remake Rights to Italian Psychological Horror ‘THE SPIRAL’ Following Award-Winning Festival Run
New Line Cinema has secured the English-language remake rights to THE SPIRAL, the Italian psychological horror thriller from writer-director Paolo Strippoli, following a competitive bidding process. The acquisition also includes distribution rights to the original Italian-language film across several international territories, with a limited theatrical release planned in North America before the end of 2026.
The agreement comes as THE SPIRAL continues attracting attention following its international festival run and selection as Italy's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Written and directed by Strippoli, the film stars Jasmine Trinca as a mother whose seemingly ordinary family life begins to unravel following an encounter with a mysterious woman known as the Stranger, portrayed by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi.
The encounter leads to a Faustian bargain that threatens to destabilize the woman's relationships and understanding of her circumstances.
Romana Maggiora Vergano and Adriano Giannini also star in the production.
While specific details concerning the English-language adaptation have not been announced, New Line's acquisition allows the studio to develop a new feature based on Strippoli's original screenplay and premise.
No director, screenwriter or cast has been attached to the remake, and the project remains in the early stages of development.
The deal also gives New Line distribution rights to the original film in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
The studio intends to release the Italian-language production in a limited number of theaters before the end of the year, positioning the film for consideration during the upcoming awards season.
THE SPIRAL opened theatrically in Italy on October 4, 2026, and has generated approximately $4 million at the box office, according to the acquisition announcement.
Its international profile began with a world premiere in competition at the Venice International Film Festival, where it received the Young Cinema Award for Best Italian Film and the Green Drop Award.
The film subsequently made its North American premiere in the Midnight Madness program at the Toronto International Film Festival, finishing as the first runner-up for the People's Choice Midnight Madness Award.
Additional festival screenings included Fantastic Fest and the Sitges Film Festival, where Trinca received the Best Actress award and THE SPIRAL earned the Silver Méliès for Best Film.
The production has also appeared at the Busan, Chicago and Thessaloniki international film festivals, further expanding its international exposure ahead of the remake announcement.
For Strippoli, THE SPIRAL represents his fourth feature as a director, following THE HOLY BOY (2025), FLOWING (2022) and A CLASSIC HORROR STORY (2021).
His previous work has frequently explored the intersection of psychological unease, supernatural elements and the consequences of deeply rooted personal or collective beliefs.
THE SPIRAL continues that interest through a narrative built around an unsettling agreement and its impact on a family, drawing upon the longstanding horror tradition of bargains that carry unforeseen consequences.
The film was produced by Marina Marzotto and Mattia Oddone for Rome-based Propaganda in collaboration with Rai Cinema.
Additional production partners include France's Kazak Productions, Belgium's Tarantula and Italy's Dinamo Film.
French distributor and international sales company Le Pacte negotiated the agreement with New Line and continues to handle international sales and distribution in France.
The acquisition adds another international horror property to New Line's development slate, reflecting the studio's longstanding involvement in genre filmmaking.
New Line has an extensive history with horror franchises, including A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, THE CONJURING and the IT films, as well as English-language adaptations of international genre properties.
The decision to acquire both remake and distribution rights also provides the studio with an opportunity to introduce Strippoli's original film to audiences before moving forward with a potential reinterpretation.
The original production's festival recognition, particularly its reception at Venice, Toronto and Sitges, has helped establish THE SPIRAL as one of the more prominent European psychological horror releases of the year.
Its selection as Italy's International Feature Film Oscar submission further distinguishes the project within the current international awards conversation, although the submission does not guarantee an Academy Award nomination.
For now, New Line's immediate plans center on bringing the original Italian-language film to select theaters while development proceeds on the proposed English-language version.
An exact theatrical release date for THE SPIRAL has not been announced, and additional details regarding the remake's creative team and production schedule remain forthcoming.
THE SPIRAL is expected to receive a limited theatrical release through New Line Cinema before the end of 2026.
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