Horror loves a crown. It loves to polish it, crack it, and show you what’s left underneath. Pageants in horror? We did Drop Dead Gorgeous in ’99. This better bring new teeth.
That’s the sell on Bella, a new horror‑thriller fronted by Ella Hunt, about a college pageant contender splintering under an overbearing mother and a creeping stalker. It’s also the opening salvo for Hayes Brothers Films, the new banner from The Conjuring writers Chad and Carey W. Hayes. Translation: they’re stepping out as curators, not just franchise architects.
Here’s the deal: Red Sea Media is launching world sales at the American Film Market (AFM). The Hayes brothers produce from Chris Grillot’s script. Dylan Hayes—Chad’s son—directs his first feature after multiple shorts. Additional casting is underway; no shoot or release date has been announced.
The logline is clean, buyer‑ready: a driven student, a crown at stake, a saboteur in the wings, and a hard third‑act clock as the pageant nears. Another stalker thriller? In 2025? It lands only if the psychology cuts deeper than the sequins.
Strategy check—why this, why now
- Launching a new banner with a contained, character‑first premise is the smart move. The Hayes name still carries global weight thanks to The Conjuring’s $650M two‑film haul. “From the writers of The Conjuring” is a sales sentence, not a paragraph.
- AFM is the right shop floor: high‑concept horror, recognizable lead, clear visual shorthand—tiaras, mirrors, spotlight sweat. This is engineered for territories that judge quickly.
- The quotes back the posture. Hunt wants the “psychological unravelling” and the mother‑daughter fault line. Dylan Hayes calls it a story of “beauty, control, and what happens when the mask cracks.” The brothers say Grillot’s script was “the one” out of hundreds since The Conjuring. That’s not modest; it’s a curated stamp.
The creative spine (trimmed to what matters)
- Writer/Director: Chris Grillot pens; Dylan Hayes makes his feature debut after shorts—tone control will make or break a psychological spiral.
- Producers/Partners: Hayes Brothers Films with Dylan Hayes, Mandy June Turpin (Iron North), Daniel Ragussis (Atomic Features), and Todd Slater (Convoke); produced in association with Kontakto Films; EPs Isabel Echeverry (Kontakto) and Ricky Russert (Atomic).
- Sales/Casting/Reps: World sales via Red Sea Media (deal by Roman Kopelevich) with Todd Slater repping filmmakers; casting by Chelsea Block and Marison Roncali. Reps: Hunt (UTA, United Agents); Ragussis/Atomic (3B Law); Grillot (Navigation Media Group, CAA, Goodman Genow).
AFM math: package, premise, promise
Buyers don’t want lore dumps; they want escalation they can market. Bella sells a pressure cooker with a face—Hunt—and a pedigree—Hayes Brothers Films—that implies discipline over jump‑scare spam. If you’re launching a shingle, you prove taste before ambition. This checks that box.
Marketing guardrails (before a trailer even exists)
No footage yet; analysis here rests on the announcement and synopsis. The campaign practically storyboards itself—backstage fluorescence, a crown reflected in a cracked mirror, applause curdling into threat. Resist pageant camp. Keep it sleek and chilly, not winky. Promise character menace, not montage body count.
What’s different this time?
Control. This isn’t a studio cog; it’s a calling card. The upside is agility and a singular read on tone. The downside is no net. Horror is honest that way—you either get under the skin or you don’t.
Confirmed logistics
- Event: Introduced for world sales at the American Film Market (AFM).
- Status: Additional casting underway; no production start or release date announced.
- Representation: Hunt (UTA, United Agents). Ragussis/Atomic (3B Law). Grillot (Navigation Media Group, CAA, Goodman Genow).
Header image suggestion
A stark dressing‑room setup: tiara centered on a cluttered vanity, warm bulbs flaring, a subtle crack running through the mirror—no faces, just unease.
Snapshot: 5 Things to Know About Bella at AFM
- Bold banner debut: Hayes Brothers Films opens with character‑driven horror, not IP recycling—a statement of taste before scale.
- AFM‑ready hook: Ambition, control, and a stalker countdown packaged in a tidy, exportable thriller.
- Lead with duality: Ella Hunt can play poise cracking at the edges; the premise depends on that fracture.
- Debut risk, debut energy: Dylan Hayes’s first feature lives or dies on tonal discipline—psychological horror punishes drift.
- Campaign tightrope: Embrace sleek menace, avoid pageant camp; the promise is “layered,” not lurid.
FAQ
Is Bella connected to The Conjuring universe?
No. It’s an original story. The Hayes brothers are producing under their new banner, not extending their franchise.
What kind of horror is Bella?
Psychological and character‑centric—obsession, surveillance, and a mother‑daughter power struggle—rather than supernatural or body‑count driven.
Why take Bella to AFM?
Because AFM is built to pre‑sell clean‑hook genre with recognizable talent. This is the kind of package that travels.
Does the pageant angle still work?
It can. We’ve seen the crown cut before—if the film finds new teeth in the psychology, there’s bite left.
Is the family‑run setup a red flag?
Only if tone wobbles. If they keep it clean and cold, “family business” reads as aligned vision, not indulgence.
