London, UK (February 11, 2025) – Steven Schneider (Split, the Insidious and Paranormal Activity franchises) teams up with Hope Studios’ Fredrik Wikström Nicastro (A Man Called Otto, Borg vs. McEnroe) and director Jesper Ganslandt (Falkenberg Farewell, The Ape, “Snabba Cash”) on the film adaptation of Scandinavian novelist Jo Nesbø’s best-selling horror, The Night House. The announcement came today from Dave Bishop, CEO Protagonist Pictures, who are launching international sales at the upcoming European Film Market. WME Independent and UTA Independent Film Group are co-repping U.S. rights.

The gripping psychological horror film stars Jacob Tremblay (Room, Good Boys) and triple Emmy winner Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad,” The Last House on the Left) as younger and older versions of the protagonist, Richard. Additional casting is currently in discussion and will be announced soon. The film is currently in pre-production, set to shoot in Summer 2025 mainly in Álava, Spain.

Nesbø and Ganslandt have written the screenplay. Executive producers Jo Nesbø, Jonas Fors, Niclas Salomonsson and Juan Solá of Federation Spain and Dave Bishop, George Hamilton and James Pugh of Protagonist Pictures,

In the wake of his parents’ recent death, highschooler Richard (Tremblay) has been sent to live with relatives in the remote town of Ballantyne. One day, during an innocent prank call in a phone booth, Richard shockingly witnesses his classmate violently get sucked into the phone receiver and disappear without a trace. Police suspect Richard to be responsible, and no one believes his story except Karen – a fellow teenage outsider. As Richard and Karen try to understand their friend’s unspeakable death, they soon realise they have unleashed terrifying evil forces. In this twisted spin on a classic horror story, and as reality starts to blur, we must ask ourselves – can we truly trust Richard, and can he even trust himself?

“Jo Nesbø is a master of suspense, beloved by his fans worldwide and we could not be more thrilled to introduce this chilling adaptation of The Night House to our buyers,” said Protagonist’s Dave Bishop. “Led by a stellar cast and anchored by true producing heavyweights who are experts in the horror genre, we know Jesper will craft something that will stay with you once the credits have rolled.”

“I couldn’t have wished for better actors than Jacob and Aaron to headline this film. We also happen to share the same goal which is turning this into a seriously disturbing psychological horror movie, unlike anything you’ve ever seen before!” said Jesper Ganslandt.

Fredrik Wikström Nicastro, Founder and CEO of Hope Studios, added: “It’s a gift to be adapting work from one of the best storytellers in the world, and it’s testament to the gripping plot and Jesper’s brilliantly creepy take that we’ve landed the fantastic Jacob and Aaron to anchor the piece.”

“Jo Nesbø’s The Night House is a haunting, fresh, and utterly gripping horror—I can’t wait to see it take shape in collaboration with the super talented Jesper Ganslandt, Hope Studios and the incredible talents of Aaron Paul and Jacob Tremblay.” said Steven Schneider.  “Together, we’re set to deliver something truly unforgettable!“.

Jacob Tremblay rose to notoriety for his critically acclaimed performance in the dark drama, Room. Other credits include voicing the titular role in Disney’s Luca, voicing “Flounder” in the live action re-make of The Little Mermaid, and starring opposite Peter Dinklage in the upcoming Legendary film, The Toxic Avenger. Tremblay also headlined the global blockbusters Good Boys and the critically acclaimed novel adaptation, Wonder.

Aaron Paul is best known for his triple Emmy winning role as Jesse Pinkman in Netflix’s award-winning megahit “Breaking Bad.”  Paul re-teamed with writer-director Vince Gilligan to star in Netflix’s El Camino, appeared in Ridley Scott’s Exodus Gods and Kings, and starred in director Scott Waugh’s crime thriller, Need for Speed.

Jo Nesbø is one of the world’s bestselling crime writers, with “The Leopard,” “Phantom,” “Police,” “The Son,” “The Thirst,” “Macbeth” and “Knife” all topping bestseller charts. His books have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide and have been translated into over 50 languages. “The Night House” debuted in the U.S. in 2023 and will be released in a further 40 languages. It was hailed by critics and selected by the Sunday Express UK as “One of the Best Horror Reads of the Year” with fans including Josh Malerman, author of Bird Box. Nesbø is currently showrunning the “Harry Hole” series for Netflix based on his acclaimed international book series.

Jacob Tremblay is repped by UTA, Play Management and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein. Aaron Paul is repped by UTA.

Jesper Ganslandt is represented by Salomonsson Agency, WME, Brillstein, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein.

Jo Nesbø is represented by Salomonsson Agency, WME, and Tricarico Chavez LLP.

Protagonist Pictures EFM slate includes Sophie Hyde’s multi-generational drama Jimpa, starring Oscar winner Olivia Colman and Golden Globe winner John Lithgow, which comes to Berlin straight from its Sundance world premiere.  As part of the Berlinale Special Presentations programme, Protagonist will host the world premiere of Jan-Ole Gerster’s English language debut Islands, starring Sam Riley and Stacy Martin. Protagonist’s line-up also features the survival thriller Die By Night, directed by Rod Blackhurst and starring Isabelle Fuhrman, Ben Hardy and Scoot McNairy; Mark Jenkin’s mystery drama Rose of Nevada, starring George MacKay and Callum Turner; Philippa Lowthorpe’s H Is For Hawk, starring Emmy winners Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson; the Scottish family drama Glenrothan, starring Alan Cumming, and Emmy winner Brian Cox in his feature directorial debut; Bharat Nalluri’s family adventure Flavia, starring Martin Freeman, Jonathan Pryce, and Molly Belle Wright; and the BAFTA-nominated genre-bending comedy Sister Midnight, which screened at the London Film Festival and was nominated for Cannes’ Camera D’Or.

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Hope Studios is a European film studio backed by industry heavyweights on a mission to bring hope and inspiration to people everywhere. Led by seasoned producer Fredrik Wikström Nicastro, the studio aims to be a vessel for creatives, authors and thinkers who share the company´s passion of combining mainstream appeal with meaningful impact.

Hope Studios has offices in Stockholm and London.

Steven Schneider is an American film producer, author, and former film critic, renowned for his significant contributions to the horror genre. Schneider has been instrumental in bringing to life several successful horror franchises, including “Paranormal Activity” and “Insidious.” His extensive filmography also features collaborations on projects such as “Split” (2016), “Glass” (2019), and “Knock at the Cabin” (2023). Schneider also co-founded and runs Spooky Pictures with fellow horror legend Roy Lee ( IT Chapters I & II). Beyond production, Schneider has authored and edited numerous books on world cinema and horror, establishing himself as a leading expert in genre films.

Led by Dave Bishop alongside George Hamilton and James Pugh, Protagonist Pictures is a sales, finance, and production company with a proven track record in outstanding films and commercial successes. Based in the UK, the company handles films from around the world, always maintaining a strong focus on filmmakers with exceptional vision and storytelling skills. Protagonist Pictures has championed groundbreaking filmmakers since its inception, including Chloe Zhao, Yorgos Lanthimos, Sean Baker, Rose Glass, Taiki Waititi and Pawel Pawlikowski.

Protagonist handled international sales on Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, which premiered in Venice to stellar reviews, and garnered 3 Golden Globes Awards including Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama, and Best Director. The film is currently nominated for 9 BAFTA awards, including Best film, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director, and nominated for 10 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography and Best Original Screenplay.

The company handled sales and executive produced Nora Fingscheidt’s The Outrun, starring 4x Academy Award nomineeSaoirse Ronan, which premiered in Sundance and Berlin to critical acclaim, and was recently nominated for 2 BAFTA award including Outstanding British Film and Leading Actress.

Protagonist Pictures’ current slate also features Monitor, the high-concept horror directed by Ryan Polly and Matt Black and produced by Temple Hill, the team behind the megahit Smile Franchise. Cameras start rolling on the project in March 2025; Brian Cox’s heartwarming Scottish comedy Glenrothan, starring Cox in his directorial debut, alongside Alan Cumming; Adam Scott’s edge of your seat thriller Double Booked, featuring Scott, Zazie Beetz, Sterling K. Brown and Alexandra Daddario; the charming NY-set comedy Encore, produced by Temple Hill and directed by Simon Curtis, starring Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, Henry Winkler and Don Johnson, scheduled to go into production in spring 2025. Protagonist also handled international sales on Eli Craig’s highly anticipated horror adaptation Clown in a Cornfield, also from the producers of Smile and set for a wide theatrical release by RLJE Films and Shudder in May 2025. Additional titles include Thordur Palsson’s elevated horror The Damned, starring Odessa Young and Joe Cole, and premiering at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, both of which Protagonist also executive produced. The ensemble comedy Rumours, directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson,R  led by Cate Blanchett and Alicia Vikander, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and Sister Midnight, starring Radhika Apte, Ashok Pathak and Chhaya Kadam, and directed by Karan Kandhari, which also premiered in Cannes at the Director’s Fortnight.