Norman Reedus Horror Film Lands January 1, 2027 Release
Vertical has acquired North American distribution rights to the norman reedus horror film Pendulum and set it for a wide release on January 1, 2027. The move gives Mark Heyman’s directorial debut a firm theatrical route in the region, with a New Year’s Day launch that puts the title into the first release frame of 2027.
Mark Heyman’s Directorial Debut
Pendulum is Heyman’s first time directing, after he built his reputation as the BAFTA-nominated writer of Black Swan. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Phoebe Dynevor, Norman Reedus, and Jacki Weaver, which gives the acquisition a cast with enough recognition to help a theatrical rollout reach beyond horror regulars.
Heyman called the movie “a deeply personal film, inspired by real, and really scary, experiences. It’s truly a dream come true to see it released in theaters with a partner like Vertical.” Jarowey, speaking about the deal, said, “Featuring incredible lead performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Phoebe Dynevor, Pendulum is an impressive, terrifying debut from acclaimed screenwriter Mark Heyman.”
New Mexico Retreat Story
The script follows married couple Patrick and Abigail after a traumatic event takes them to a new-age retreat in New Mexico. Patrick grows distrustful of the retreat’s enigmatic leader while Abigail falls under the leader’s spell, turning the plot into a test of whether the group’s spiritual practices offer healing or conceal something more dangerous.
That setup gives Vertical a genre title built on psychological pressure rather than simple shock value, which fits the company’s decision to lock in a specific wide-release date instead of leaving the project in festival limbo. C2 fully financed the film, while Black Bear is handling international sales, so the North American deal plugs one major gap while the rest of the world is still being sold territory by territory.
Vertical’s January 1 Plan
The release date is January 1, 2027, and Vertical’s Peter Jarowey tied the launch directly to the team behind the film, saying, “We are proud to be partnering with producers Darren, Jacob, and Dave, and are looking forward to ringing in 2027 by scaring the hell out of audiences.” That places Pendulum in a clean start-of-year slot, with a named North American distributor, a completed financing structure, and a cast that should help the film cut through the early-2027 slate.
For readers tracking Reedus’ next move and for buyers watching where mid-budget horror lands theatrically, the practical takeaway is simple: Pendulum is no longer a project in search of a home. It has one, and it opens on the first day of 2027.
