You can’t keep a good monster hunter down.
Coming on top of a multi-company bidding war, Blumhouse, the prolific horror-centric banner behind Black Phone 2 and the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, has snagged the rights to Something Is Killing the Children, the popular Boom! Studios comic by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera.
The title has enjoyed Hollywood’s attention since it debuted in 2019 and has previously been in development as a live-action series. Blumhouse plans on actually doing both big-screen and small-screen takes. It will develop the franchise simultaneously as a live-action feature film and as an adult animated television series, with the TV adaptation to be shepherded by Tynion.
For this pickup, Lionsgate circled the rights while Netflix also chased. The latter’s involvement was somewhat ironic, as SIKTC was previously set up at the streamer as a series. Netflix passed on it at the end of 2024 after opting not to move forward following extensive development with both Mike Flanagan, as well as Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, the showrunners behind thriller series Dark. This time, Netflix’s movie group wanted to take charge, but Blumhouse was more aggressive, loving the idea of a world where children can see monsters, but adults cannot. Part of what spurred intense interest, according to sources, was the success of Weapons, Zach Cregger’s summer horror hit.
Blum will produce the live-action feature for Blumhouse with the company’s Shaun Sutton and Ryan Turek serving as executive producers. Stephen Christy and Tynion will produce the film for Boom! Studios/Penguin Random House.
Adam Yoelin and Mette Norkjaer will also executive produce. Series co-creator Dell’Edera will act as co-producer.
Children’s first story arc told of a town plagued by monsters that feast on children, with one teen survivor telling tales that no adult believes. Enter: a mysterious young woman named Erica Slaughter. The woman, who occasionally converses with her stuffed animal, isn’t there to mince words, but rather to mince monsters. The stories since have opened up a world that includes a monster-killing cabal and its sinister politics.
“It’s easy to see why audiences and critics alike have praised Something is Killing the Children,” said Blum in a statement. “James and Werther’s comic book series taps into our most primal fears, luring us into a fascinating world and introducing Erica Slaughter, the ass-kicking hero we all wish we had to fight the monsters that lurk in the dark.”
After bowing in September 2019, Children hacked its way to becoming the biggest horror comic since The Walking Dead and the biggest indie since Saga. The first issue has sold over 175,000 copies over the course of multiple printings while the comic has sold over 5 million since launch, a rare feat in modern publishing — not just in the indie comics world but even for Marvel and DC books. A spinoff, House of Slaughter, also written by Tynion, is also a top seller. Following BOOM! Studios’ acquisition by Penguin Random House in 2024, the publisher committed to a 100-issue run, ensuring the series’ presence on shelves for the next decade.
The comic is also a critical hit, earning an Eisner nomination for best new series in 2020 with a win for best series in 2022. Tynion won three consecutive Eisners for writing the series, a feat only matched by Alan Moore. SIKTC also won a Harvey Award for book of the year and a Ringo Award for best series. Tynion has since put out several other hit horror comics and launched his own media banner, Tiny Onion.
“Something is Killing the Children is the comic book that changed my life and career forever,” stated Tynion. “Finding a partner who understood the potential of Erica Slaughter and the world Werther Dell’Edera and I have built was crucial, and we have found that partner in Jason Blum. Nobody understands horror better than Blumhouse, and I can’t wait for the world to see what we all have planned together.”
The adult animated series will see Tynion executive producing with Dell’Edera co-executive producing. Christy will executive produce the series for BOOM! with Adam Yoelin and Mette Norkjaer co-executive producing.
Tynion is repped by UTA Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and TroyGould. Boom! is repped by UTA.
