Horror Thriller 'The Red Mask' Acquired by Stoic for Global Sales

The film stars Helena Howard, Inanna Sarkis, Jake Abel, and Kelli Garner.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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International sales and production company Stoic has acquired worldwide sales rights to the horror thriller film The Red Mask, which has played at several genre festivals including FrightFest in London and Screamfest LA. The film follows a screenwriter hired to reboot a beloved 1980s horror franchise, who faces online backlash and violent threats from purist fans, leading her and her fiancée to retreat to a secluded Airbnb where their creative experimentation spirals into a deadly confrontation.

Why it matters

The Red Mask bridges nostalgia for classic horror with contemporary cultural critique, exploring the shifting power dynamics between creators and audiences in a world shaped by digital outrage. The film's sold-out premieres suggest a growing appetite for smart, provocative horror that still delivers spectacle.

The details

The Red Mask stars Helena Howard, Inanna Sarkis, Jake Abel, and Kelli Garner. The screenplay was written by Samantha Gurash and Patrick Robert Young, and the film is produced by Atit Shah for Create Entertainment, alongside Aimee Schoof and Isen Robbins for Intrinsic Value Films. Stoic's Nat McCormick will be selling the project at the upcoming EFM in Berlin.

  • The Red Mask has played a host of genre festivals including FrightFest in London and Screamfest LA.

The players

Stoic

An international sales and production company that has acquired worldwide sales rights to the horror thriller film The Red Mask.

Helena Howard

An actress starring in The Red Mask.

Inanna Sarkis

An actress starring in The Red Mask.

Jake Abel

An actor starring in The Red Mask.

Kelli Garner

An actress starring in The Red Mask.

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What they’re saying

“The Red Mask is a brilliantly sharp and commercially potent slasher that bridges nostalgia and contemporary cultural critique. Ritesh has delivered a film that honors the genre's legacy while pushing it forward in a way that feels urgent and globally resonant. We are excited to introduce this complete package to buyers in Berlin.”

— Nat McCormick, Stoic (Deadline)

“From the beginning, our ambition was to build The Red Mask as a cultural event, not just a genre entry. Horror has always been the most fearless form of storytelling, and we leaned into that tradition while ensuring the film plays big and viscerally in a theater.”

— Atit Shah, Producer, Create Entertainment (Deadline)

“It speaks to the shifting power dynamic between creators and audiences in a world shaped by digital outrage and instant opinion. The sold-out premieres proved there is a real appetite for smart, provocative horror that still delivers spectacle. Partnering with Stoic at EFM allows us to expand that conversation on a global scale.”

— Atit Shah, Producer, Create Entertainment (Deadline)

The takeaway

The Red Mask represents a new wave of horror films that blend nostalgia for the genre's legacy with timely social commentary, tapping into a growing global audience hungry for smart, visceral storytelling that challenges traditional power dynamics between creators and audiences.