New Line lands Jealous People Are Ugly People after 10-party chase
New Line will develop Theo James Krekis’ horror feature after a 10-party chase, with Krekis adapting and directing his SXSW short.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
New Line has picked up Jealous People Are Ugly People, the Theo James Krekis horror package, after a competitive fight involving at least 10 interested parties, according to Deadline.
The project is planned as a feature version of Krekis’ short film of the same name. Deadline reported that the movie’s full logline is being kept under wraps for now, leaving the short as the clearest clue to the mood and monster of the piece.
What is Jealous People Are Ugly People about?
The short centers on Vasilly, a man rattled by his best friend’s sudden career success. According to Deadline, that jealousy helps feed a sinister supernatural force that begins growing inside him.
The short was commissioned by the BBC and produced by the UK company The Fold. It premiered in the Midnight Madness section at SXSW in 2026, putting Krekis’ nasty little jealousy tale in one of the festival’s genre-friendly showcases.
Krekis will write and direct the feature adaptation, Deadline reported. That keeps the film in the hands of the filmmaker who created the short, a setup studios often chase when a sharp horror concept starts making noise on the festival circuit.
The Fold’s Jennifer Monks and Michelle Stein are producing the feature version with Temple Hill Entertainment. Isaac Klausner, John Fischer, Ben Levine and Ethan Cappello will oversee for Temple Hill, while Josh Mack and Lauren Botchan are handling oversight for New Line, according to Deadline.
Deadline tied the strong bidding interest around Jealous People Are Ugly People to ongoing appetite for genre films from newer filmmakers, citing the breakout success of Curry Barker’s Obsession at Focus Features and Kane Parsons’ Backrooms at A24.
Who is Theo James Krekis?
Krekis is a Greek and British filmmaker. Deadline reported that he is developing his second feature with BBC Film, while his original six-episode television series Blossom is in development with Clerkenwell Films.
He is also writing on a new series from the creator of Peaky Blinders for Kudos, according to Deadline. His earlier short films include Pram Snatcher, which was funded by the BFI, as well as Memoirs of a Geeza and Mangas.
Those previous shorts all premiered at the BFI London Film Festival, Deadline reported. Krekis is represented by Francesca Devas at Independent Talent Group and Ian McKnight at Anonymous Content.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.