New Line has snapped up The Spiral remake rights in a deal that underscores Hollywood’s growing appetite for elevated international horror. Fresh off major festival acclaim and selected as Italy’s Oscar submission for International Feature Film, Paolo Strippoli’s unsettling psychological thriller is now set for both an English-language adaptation and a limited North American theatrical push.
For viewers tracking the crossover of prestige cinema and genre storytelling, this is a notable move. The Spiral arrives with awards momentum, strong box office in Italy, and the kind of chilling premise that often translates well for global audiences.
New Line Secures The Spiral Remake Rights
The biggest headline is straightforward: New Line has won a competitive bid for The Spiral remake rights. The studio’s deal covers development of a feature-length English-language version based on Strippoli’s original film, while also giving New Line distribution rights to the Italian-language release across several territories.
Those territories include:
- United States
- Canada
- Hong Kong
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
New Line also plans a limited theatrical release for the original Italian film before the end of the year, positioning it for Oscar-season visibility. That strategy gives the studio two opportunities: introducing the original to arthouse and awards audiences while laying groundwork for a future English-language adaptation.
What Is The Spiral About?
The interest in The Spiral remake rights makes sense once you look at the story. Written and directed by Paolo Strippoli, the film centers on a mother whose family life begins to unravel after she is drawn into a Faustian pact by a mysterious woman known only as the Stranger.
The psychological horror setup blends domestic tension, supernatural dread, and moral compromise, creating the kind of layered genre premise that has become especially attractive to studios and streaming-era audiences alike.
The cast is led by Jasmine Trinca, with Valeria Bruni Tedeschi playing the Stranger. Romana Maggiora Vergano and Adriano Giannini also star. That ensemble has helped give the film both emotional weight and festival credibility, two factors that likely increased competition for The Spiral remake rights.
Festival Awards and Oscar Momentum
A key reason the acquisition matters is the film’s remarkable festival run. The Spiral premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Young Cinema Award for Best Italian Film and the Green Drop Award. It later made its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in the Midnight Madness programme, earning first runner-up for the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award.
Its festival path did not stop there. The film also screened at:
- Fantastic Fest
- Sitges
- Busan International Film Festival
- Chicago International Film Festival
- Thessaloniki International Film Festival
At Sitges, Jasmine Trinca won Best Actress, while the film itself received the Silver Méliès for Best Film. Combined with Italy naming it as its Oscar entry, those honors made The Spiral remake rights especially valuable in the current market.
Why Hollywood Wants Prestige Horror From Overseas
The deal reflects a wider industry trend: major U.S. studios are increasingly targeting foreign-language horror and thrillers with strong auteur credentials. International genre films often arrive with built-in critical buzz, distinctive storytelling, and themes that can be adapted for broader English-language audiences.
Why these titles travel so well:
- Universal emotional stakes such as family conflict, grief, fear, and guilt
- High-concept hooks that can be marketed clearly
- Prestige appeal from festival premieres and awards recognition
- Remake potential for U.S. and global commercial markets
In that context, the battle for The Spiral remake rights looks less like a one-off and more like part of a broader shift in studio acquisition strategy.
Paolo Strippoli’s Rising Profile
For Strippoli, this marks another major career milestone. The Spiral is his fourth feature, following The Holy Boy (2025), Flowing (2022), and A Classic Horror Story (2021). With each project, he has built a reputation for atmospheric filmmaking and psychological intensity.
That rising profile likely added even more weight to the fight over The Spiral remake rights. Studios are no longer just acquiring a single title; they are investing in a filmmaker whose voice may continue to shape the horror landscape.
The film was produced by Marina Marzotto and Mattia Oddone for Rome-based Propaganda in collaboration with Rai Cinema, with co-production support from Kazak Productions in France, Tarantula in Belgium, and Dinamo Film in Italy. International sales and French distribution are handled by Le Pacte, which brokered the deal.
Box Office Performance and What Happens Next
Commercially, The Spiral has already shown promise. After opening in Italy on October 4, it has grossed roughly $4 million, a healthy result for a psychological horror title in that market. Strong domestic performance, when paired with festival acclaim, made The Spiral remake rights all the more appealing.
Next, audiences should watch for two separate developments:
- A limited theatrical release of the original Italian-language film in select markets
- Early announcements about writers, producers, or directors attached to the English-language remake
If New Line moves quickly, the studio could position the original as both an awards-season discovery and a launchpad for a commercially viable remake.
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Final Take on The Spiral Remake Rights
The race for The Spiral remake rights shows how valuable internationally acclaimed horror has become in today’s film market. With Oscar-season exposure, a decorated festival run, a compelling supernatural premise, and New Line’s remake ambitions, The Spiral is no longer just an Italian success story. It is now one of the more intriguing crossover genre titles to watch, both in its original form and in whatever English-language version comes next.
