Scott Stuber, Steven Spielberg, and Amazon MGM Studios Score the Next YouTube Horror Hit With THE MANDELA CATALOGUE
Hollywood's search for the next breakout YouTube horror franchise has officially landed on one of the genre's biggest names. Following the incredible theatrical success of Backrooms and Obsession, Scott Stuber's United Artists, Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, and Amazon MGM Studios have secured the film rights to The Mandela Catalogue after an intense bidding war involving 11 studios.
That's a pretty clear sign that studios believe analog horror isn't just an internet trend anymore. It's becoming one of the industry's most exciting sources for theatrical horror, especially when it comes to attracting younger moviegoers.
The movie will be directed by The Mandela Catalogue creator Alex Kister, who co-wrote the screenplay with Tyler Clifton.
It's always encouraging to see the original creator staying involved with an adaptation, especially with a property that has built such a passionate fanbase through its unique style and unsettling storytelling.
Since launching on YouTube in 2021, The Mandela Catalogue has pulled in well over 100 million views across its official episodes. It's widely considered one of the defining analog horror series on the platform, standing alongside Local 58 and The Backrooms as one of the genre's biggest success stories.
The story takes place in the fictional Mandela County, Wisconsin, where humanity is under attack by terrifying shape-shifting beings known as Alternates.
These nearly immortal creatures are led by a false depiction of the Archangel Gabriel, and rather than relying on brute force, they psychologically torment their victims until they're driven to suicide.
Adding to the nightmare, the Alternates manipulate televisions, computers, GPS devices, and other forms of audiovisual media, turning everyday technology into something deeply unsettling.
It's easy to see why Hollywood is paying close attention to YouTube creators right now. Curry Barker's Obsession exploded into a worldwide box office sensation with $374 million, while Kate Parson's Backrooms became an even bigger surprise, earning more than $331 million worldwide and outperforming major studio releases like Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu and Supergirl.
Those films proved that audiences, particularly Gen Alpha and Gen Z, are eager to support theatrical adaptations of the online horror stories they've already embraced.
Studios have spent years trying to figure out how to consistently bring younger audiences back into theaters, and YouTube horror appears to be giving them exactly what they've been looking for.
With one of YouTube's biggest horror franchises now in the hands of Spielberg, Stuber, and Amazon MGM Studios, it'll be interesting to see whether The Mandela Catalogue becomes the next internet-born phenomenon to dominate the box office.
Source: Deadline