Joshua Giuliano’s River has moved from the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section to a reported $10 million-plus deal with Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Atomic Monster. The acquisition follows the film’s world premiere at TIFF and brings together Giuliano, producers Independent Film Company and Shudder, and a cast led by Jane Levy and Jessica Rothe.
River opened TIFF 2026’s Midnight Madness programme, premiering at the Royal Alexandra Theatre as the festival’s opening-night film in the late-night section. The film follows three estranged siblings who reunite after their father’s death and travel down a remote river to scatter his ashes. When their boat breaks down, they become stranded and vulnerable to a mysterious masked killer. Giuliano wrote and directed the film, marking his feature debut.
The festival premiere quickly turned River into a sought-after sales title, with several distributors entering the bidding. According to trade reports, Sony Pictures emerged as a major competitor with an offer of around $8 million before Universal and Blumhouse Atomic Monster moved above that figure with a deal reportedly worth more than $10 million. Screen Daily reported that the acquisition covers U.S. and select international rights.
The deal also has a direct connection to River’s development. Sam Zimmerman, who now leads the indie slate at Blumhouse Atomic Monster, previously worked at Shudder, where he worked with Giuliano on the film. That relationship helped bring the filmmaker’s debut to the attention of his new company. River was originally backed by Independent Film Company and Shudder, creating a direct link between its early development and its eventual studio home.
Giuliano’s relationship with Blumhouse Atomic Monster is already extending beyond River. Before the acquisition, Blumhouse Atomic Monster, Divide/Conquer and Spooky Pictures signed on to produce his next horror project, Occupant, with Focus Features handling worldwide rights. Plot details for Occupant have not been disclosed.
River also brings together two actors with established horror credentials. Jane Levy, who plays one of the siblings, previously starred in Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe, while Jessica Rothe led Blumhouse’s Happy Death Day and its sequel. Max Mattern completes the central sibling trio, with Dane DiLiegro playing the threatening figure stalking them.
The transaction is notable for the speed with which River moved from a festival premiere to a major acquisition. The film entered Toronto with Independent Film Company and Shudder behind it and emerged as one of the first significant sales of TIFF 2026. Its reported price also reflects the level of competition generated around the Midnight Madness title following its premiere.
The acquisition establishes the next stage for River, although a theatrical release date has not yet been announced. For Giuliano, the deal gives his feature debut a new distribution platform while also strengthening his existing relationship with Blumhouse Atomic Monster through Occupant.
The source document describes the transaction as completed, while some contemporaneous trade reports initially described it as closing or in talks. The reported buyer, sellers and $10 million-plus value are consistent across the reporting.
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