Octavia Spencer returns as Ma in the upcoming sequel to the popular horror film, which is in the works from Blumhouse.
OCTAVIA SPENCER TO RETURN AS “MA”: BLUMHOUSE DEVELOPING SEQUEL TO MUCH-MEMED REVENGE HORROR
As part of its first-ever The Business of Fear event examining the growing power of horror subgenres, Blumhouse has announced that Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer will return as Ma in a sequel to the hit Blumhouse revenge horror film.
The original 2019 film, directed by Tate Taylor, earned more than $60 million in global box office, but also spawned hundreds of memes, with audiences embracing Ma as an iconic horror character for the ages. The fandom helped make Ma a phenomenon at Blumhouse’s recent Halfway to Halloween festival.
“Ma has proven to be a social phenomenon since its release in 2019, with fans eagerly embracing the film and Octavia’s iconic performance as Ma. Ma likes to say ‘don’t make me drink alone,’ so we’re thrilled Octavia will join us again for a second round,” said Jason Blum, Founder/CEO, Blumhouse.
The Revenge subgenre is one of 24 thriving subgenres Blumhouse identified in a research study last year that aimed to assess the state of horror. Additional examples include Survival, Slasher, Psychological Thriller, and more.
During its first The Business of Fear event, Blumhouse CEO/Founder Jason Blum and President Abhijay Prakash, Atomic Monster Director of Creative Production Alayna Glasthal and horror analyst/author Stephen Follows spoke about the ways in which horror has grown and expanded in recent years, with subgenres an important way to entertain the diverse tastes of its audience.
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*The 2024 Genre Categorization Survey (2,000 respondents) aimed to classify 100 prominent horror films from the past 50 years into sub-genres. This research was conducted by Sage Outcomes and commissioned by Blumhouse in July 2024.
About Blumhouse
Founded by CEO Jason Blum in 2015, Blumhouse is the home of horror across film, television and gaming. Following its merger with James Wan’s Atomic Monster in January 2024, the combined companies are responsible for nearly $9 Billion in worldwide box office, and have represented nearly 50% of the horror market in the last ten years.
The companies have produced nearly 250 movies and television series, including Halloween, The Purge, The Black Phone, Annabelle, Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, Insidious, M3GAN, and Five Nights at Freddy’s, and the most successful horror franchise in history with the Conjuring Universe.
In television, Blumhouse produces scripted and unscripted series, including the upcoming Scarpetta for Prime Video; The Rainmaker for USA; and Worst Roommate Ever and Worst Ex Ever for Netflix. The company also recently launched a games division with titles including Fear The Spotlight and the upcoming Eyes of Hellfire and Sleep Awake.
Blumhouse was honored by Fast Company as one of its Most Innovative Companies in 2024 and one of its Brands That Matter in 2023. The company also invests in immersive real-world and virtual experiences including The Van newsletter; consumer products at Blumhouse Shop; its consistent presence at Universal Studios’ annual Halloween Horror Nights; its annual Halfway to Halloween Film Festival and BlumFest; the Blumhouse HorrorVerse in Meta Horizon on Meta Quest; and its upcoming transformation of an exhibit space at the iconic Stanley Hotel from The Shining.
