GOOD BOY Director Ben Leonberg Takes Horror to New Heights With Drone Thriller FOLLOW MODE
Director Ben Leonberg has lined up his next feature film, Follow Mode. After making a splash with his breakout film Good Boy, Leonberg is stepping into even riskier territory with a concept that leans hard into modern fears and evolving technology.
The movie is backed by powerhouse producer Temple Hill, and the project is already generating serious interest ahead of its launch at Cannes.
Temple Hill, the production company behind hits like Twilight and Smile, is once again partnering with UK sales outfit Protagonist Pictures.
The collaboration has been fruitful in recent years, including work on Clown in a Cornfield and the upcoming horror slate they’re continuing to build. With Follow Mode, they’re aiming to push the genre forward in a way that feels current and unsettling.
Leonberg isn’t just directing, he also co-wrote the script with Alex Cannon, continuing the creative partnership they built on Good Boy.
That film, made on a micro-budget, became a surprising success story, pulling in $8.8 million worldwide and earning a strong showing at SXSW and Film at Lincoln Center. It even landed as IFC’s second-biggest opening weekend, just behind Temple Hill’s own Clown in a Cornfield.
Now Leonberg is scaling things up, but not in the traditional sense. Follow Mode will be shot entirely using drones, which isn’t just a gimmick. It’s baked into the story.
The film centers on a group of teens who accidentally knock a drone out of the sky, only to discover it contains footage of a serial killer’s crimes. What starts as curiosity quickly spirals into a race for survival as they realize the killer may already be watching them.
The concept taps into a very real piece of modern tech. Consumer drones now come equipped with “follow” features that track movement automatically. It’s convenient for athletes and content creators, but Leonberg is flipping that convenience into something disturbing.
Dave Bishop, CEO of Protagonist Pictures, is clearly all-in on the project, saying: “Temple Hill once again proves its instinct for fresh, audience-grabbing horror. Follow Mode is the kind of bold, high-concept horror that stops you in your tracks – propulsive, original and viscerally thrilling from its first frame to its last.
“In Good Boy, Ben proved he is a filmmaker both comfortable pushing boundaries and mastering tension. Shot entirely with drones, delivering a strikingly cinematic experience, Follow Mode offers a new perspective on terror audiences have simply never seen before. Ben has crafted a rare, diabolical treat that feels both groundbreaking and deeply unsettling.”
Leonberg himself leaned into the real-world anxiety driving the film: “The rise of hands-free drone technology has introduced a chilling new vulnerability to everyday life—anyone with a drone can become a peeping tom, a stalker, or worse…
“That anxiety drives Follow Mode. We’re so thrilled to be partnered with Temple Hill, whose track record in the genre makes them a perfect fit for this unsettling new take on found footage.”
Temple Hill added: “We were blown away by Ben’s first film Good Boy and its original approach to perspective in the horror space and sought him out to find something to do together.
“We see Follow Mode as the next evolution of the found footage movie – playing on the terrifying reality that any of us could be followed and watched by store-bought technology. With Ben’s tremendous vision and expertise in POV filmmaking, we couldn’t be more excited to share this spine-chilling project with audiences around the world.”
Between the creative team, the concept, and Leonberg’s knack for building tension in unconventional ways, Follow Mode feels like it could land right in that sweet spot for horror fans looking for something new.
Source: Deadline