Josh Duhamel has boarded Speak, a new psychological horror thriller centred on a sinister vintage ventriloquist dummy. The project will be officially introduced to international buyers at the Toronto International Film Festival Market.
Set in 1994, Speak follows a 12-year-old boy whose life spirals into a psychological nightmare after his father inherits a vintage ventriloquist dummy and slowly grows unhinged. As his father’s behaviour deteriorates, the boy is left to navigate the blurred line between real-world madness and something more supernatural.
The film is directed by John Kissack, who also co-wrote the script alongside Joe Carnahan and Casey Giltner. Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing through his Di Bonaventura Pictures banner alongside Carnahan, Marvin Neil, Liz Paulson and Kay Cardinal. Di Bonaventura is best known for producing major franchises including Transformers and G.I. Joe, and has previously worked with Duhamel on both Transformers and the Netflix superhero series Jupiter’s Legacy. He has also collaborated with Carnahan on several projects.
CAA Media Finance arranged financing for the project and is co-representing its U.S. distribution rights. Edoardo Bussi’s London-based company Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment is serving as executive producer and will formally launch the film to buyers at the TIFF Market. Bussi described the script from Kissack and Carnahan as sharp and exceptional, highlighting the combination of its creative team and high-concept horror premise.
Bussi founded Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment in 2025 after a career in international sales, having previously worked at GFM Films, Evolution Pictures and MGM Studios. His previous work included international release strategy for films such as House of Gucci, No Time to Die and Licorice Pizza. His new company has primarily focused on high-concept commercial features since its launch, with Speak also benefiting from an ongoing partnership with Inaugural Entertainment.
Duhamel is widely known for playing Captain William Lennox in the Transformers film franchise. He began his acting career on the soap opera All My Children before moving into film and television. His other credits include You’re Not You, Jupiter’s Legacy and the FX series Fargo. Speak marks his latest move into the horror genre as he continues to work across action, drama and comedy.
Duhamel is represented by UTA, while Carnahan is represented by CAA and Paul Hastings, and Giltner by Zero Gravity Management. Kissack’s previous work includes the figure-skating-set horror film Everfall, while Carnahan is currently riding high following the success of the Netflix film The Rip, starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Principal photography on Speak is scheduled to begin this October, with a worldwide release planned for 2027.
With Duhamel now attached and sales set to launch at TIFF, Speak joins a growing slate of high-concept horror titles seeking international buyers at this year’s market. The Toronto International Film Festival Market runs alongside the wider festival each September and remains an important stop for international sales and distribution deals. No further casting or release-date details beyond the planned 2027 worldwide release have been announced.
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