Focus Features and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster have dated Curry Barker’s next film, Anything But Ghosts, for a nationwide theatrical release on May 7, 2027. The date lands almost exactly a year after Barker’s breakout horror hit Obsession opened and marks his second feature working with Focus.
Curry Barker directs the film and co-wrote it with his longtime collaborator and Obsession co-star Cooper Tomlinson. The official logline reads: “When a group of fame-seeking wannabe ‘ghosthunters’ find themselves in over their heads, things spiral wildly and terrifyingly out of control.”
Barker and Tomlinson also star as the two leads, joined by Violet McGraw, Chris Reinacher, Bryce Dallas Howard and Aaron Paul. The film brings the two collaborators back together both behind and in front of the camera, with Barker once again taking on the dual roles of writer and director while Tomlinson serves as co-writer and lead actor.
Speaking to The Playlist earlier this year, Curry Barker described the film as leaning further into comedy than Obsession, while stressing that it is not a full-on comedy. He said his character is the more selfish half of the ghost-hunting duo, while Tomlinson’s character is increasingly looking for a way out of the business.
The contrast between the two characters appears to be central to the film’s setup. Barker described his character as more selfish, while Tomlinson’s character is increasingly interested in leaving the ghost-hunting business behind. That dynamic places the pair at the center of a story in which their pursuit of fame as ghosthunters leads them into increasingly dangerous circumstances.
In a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Barker called the film a “buddy comedy” that is “still going to be scary and messed up.” He added that audiences can expect it to be “very different then Obsession,” while emphasizing that his voice will still be very strong in the new film.
The film reunites much of the Obsession team. Jason Blum, Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath produce, with Daniel Bekerman, Barker, Cooper Tomlinson and Ben Ross serving as executive producers.
Divide/Conquer produces in association with Image Nation and That’s a Bad Idea, alongside Barker and Tomlinson’s own Spooky Pictures. Focus holds worldwide rights, while Universal Pictures International will handle distribution overseas. The returning production team gives Anything But Ghosts a direct connection to the creative and producing group behind Barker’s breakout success.
The film’s origin actually predates Obsession’s success. Curry Barker and Cooper Tomlinson wrote and sold the script, and shot the film, before Obsession turned into a phenomenon. That means the new film was already completed and had been in development before Barker’s previous feature dramatically changed the scale of attention around his work.
Obsession itself was made for a reported budget of under $1 million. Focus acquired the film out of the 2025 Toronto Film Festival for $15 million, a record price for a festival acquisition at the time. The acquisition came before the film went on to become a major theatrical success for the distributor.
The film ultimately grossed $519 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing release in Focus Features’ history. The performance transformed Obsession from a low-budget horror production into a major commercial success and placed Barker at the center of increased attention within the genre.
That success has made Barker one of the most sought-after names in horror. He is also attached to write and direct a new take on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for A24, continuing a rapid expansion of his slate since Obsession’s release.
Anything But Ghosts will open into a crowded early-summer corridor. It is set to share its opening weekend with Lionsgate’s The Resurrection of the Christ – Part One, Mel Gibson’s sequel to The Passion of the Christ. The film will also follow closely behind Sony’s video game adaptation The Legend of Zelda, which arrives earlier in the same window.
The positioning gives Anything But Ghosts a notable release window, particularly as Barker moves from the success of Obsession into a project that combines horror with a stronger comedic element. The film’s ghost-hunting premise, its two-lead structure and Barker’s description of it as a “buddy comedy” suggest a different tone from his previous breakout feature while retaining the horror component.
With a proven producing team back in place and Focus clearly hoping to repeat Obsession’s success, Anything But Ghosts is shaping up to be one of the more closely watched horror releases of next summer. The film has already been fully completed well before its release date was set, adding another unusual element to its path toward theaters.
For Barker, the May 7, 2027 release will represent his second feature with Focus and another opportunity to build on the momentum generated by Obsession. With Tomlinson returning as both collaborator and co-star, and a cast that includes Violet McGraw, Chris Reinacher, Bryce Dallas Howard and Aaron Paul, the film brings together the original creative partnership with a broader ensemble.
Anything But Ghosts is scheduled to arrive in theaters nationwide on May 7, 2027, with Focus Features holding worldwide rights and Universal Pictures International handling overseas distribution.
