Lee Cronin

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Lee Cronin is rising with a new, mysterious project described as a modern take on something ancient. The filmmaker, known for Evil Dead Rise, has set a new movie with James Wan’s Atomic Monster and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse. New Line Cinema will release the project, and has given it a date of April 17, 2026.

Cronin will write and direct the movie, which is noteworthy as the first feature greenlit under a recently merged Atomic Monster and Blumhouse. Cronin’s Doppelgängers banner will also be involved, with the deal coming after Evil Dead Rise grossed $147 million globally.

Cronin, who promised “something wickedly entertaining and terrifying,” praised his partners in a statement.

“Collaborating with Jason, James and the wonderful teams from these two storied and massively successful organizations is what perfect nightmares are made of,” said Cronin. “Getting to return to New Line Cinema and my wonderful partners over there is the cherry on top.”

Wan called Cronin “a gifted filmmaker in the world of horror whose storytelling has electrified audiences.,” while Blum added, “he has an intriguing, modern take on something quite ancient that I think audiences will love.”

Cronin got attention with his 2019 debut The Whole in the Ground, which bowed at Sundance and was released by A24. The film centered on a woman who became convinced her young son was a doppelgänger. Appropriately, Cronin named his production company Doppelgängers, with the shingle inking a first-look deal with New Line in March.