Justin Long Leads Lice to Q1 2027 Theatrical Release
justin long is headed back to theaters in Lice, which Magenta Light Studios has set for a Q1 2027 North American theatrical release. The deal gives the horror-thriller a firm rollout window after its Cannes market sale, with Bob Yari’s studio now handling the domestic theatrical run.
Magenta Light Studios Takes North America
Magenta Light Studios acquired North American theatrical rights to Lice, expanding the film’s path from market title to scheduled release. Bob Yari said, "From the moment we read the script, Lice stood out as a bold, wildly original ride."
The acquisition matters because Lice is not arriving as a loose festival prospect; it now has a distributor attached to a specific theatrical frame. For a film built around a 1980s parasite outbreak at a Long Island high school, that move puts the project into the kind of release plan that can still sell a horror-thriller on premise and cast.
Justin Long With Emile Hirsch
Justin Long plays Principal Van, while Emile Hirsch plays burned-out science teacher Mr. Shanker and Kevin Connolly plays Detective Sikorski. Connolly also produces through ActionPark Productions, adding an on-screen and behind-the-scenes role to the package.
Jonathan Bensimon, making his feature directorial debut, said the film was designed to be "a visceral, throwback thrill ride—something pulpy, unsettling, and darkly funny all at once." Bob Yari added that Bensimon "has crafted a film that’s as smart as it is unsettling, blending dark humor, suspense, and real emotional stakes."
Cannes Sale Meets Q1 2027
Lice was written by Anthony Musella and Shaun Harris and is set during a deadly outbreak of a parasite at a Long Island high school in the 1980s, where the school goes under military lockdown and students turn on each other in a desperate struggle to survive. Highland Film Group is handling international sales out of Cannes, so the project now has both domestic and overseas distribution motion behind it.
Bob Yari said, "With this incredible cast, we believe it’s going to be a truly memorable theatrical experience, and we’re excited to bring it to audiences nationwide." That is the practical takeaway for readers tracking the movie: Lice is no longer just a Cannes market title with a provocative premise; it now has a North American theatrical path and a Q1 2027 target, which is the real business signal for where the film is headed next.
