Lee Cronin signs deal with New Line Cinema

Irish filmmaker Lee Cronin, known for his work on Evil Dead Rise and The Hole in the Ground, is teaming up with long-standing collaborators John Keville and Macdara Kelleher of Wild Atlantic Pictures to launch Doppelgängers, a new production company aimed at genre-focused projects.

The formation of Doppelgängers has already secured a first-look deal with New Line Cinema following the success of Evil Dead Rise at the box office in 2023, grossing $147 million worldwide. Currently, they are in the development phase for the horror-thriller Thaw.

Under the Doppelgängers banner, Cronin will write, direct, and produce a genre-focused feature film and television projects alongside Keville and Kelleher. Speaking about the venture, Cronin expressed excitement about the opportunity to formalize their partnership, citing their shared ambition to create compelling stories for broad audiences.

So very pleased to announce the birth of DOPPELGÄNGERS! https://t.co/HAAGwKbwDC

— Lee Cronin (@curleecronin) March 13, 2024

Keville and Kelleher echoed Cronin's sentiments, praising his track record as an auteur filmmaker and expressing their enthusiasm for building Doppelgängers around his creative vision.

Keville and Kelleher added: "Lee Cronin is one of the most exciting auteur filmmakers working in the genre space with a proven box office track record. Lee is an inventive creator who always strives to engage audiences with his character-driven stories.

"We are thrilled to be building Doppelgängers around his vision and are excited to forge relationships with the most ambitious writers and directors. Collectively, we want Doppelgängers to become a destination for the very best storytellers."

Notably, Cronin's collaboration with New Line Cinema extends beyond Doppelgängers, with the announcement of his directorial role in the original horror-thriller Thaw, set against the backdrop of melted polar ice caps and rising sea levels. Produced by Gunpowder & Sky and Aperture, the film promises to deliver a chilling narrative as survivors search for refuge in a perilous new world.

With Cronin's established reputation in the genre space and the support of industry heavyweights like New Line Cinema, Doppelgängers is poised to make waves in the world of filmmaking. As they embark on this new chapter, the company aims to push boundaries and captivate audiences with innovative storytelling.