EXCLUSIVE: Korea’s K-Movie Entertainment is to launch sales at the Cannes market on Amara, a supernatural horror from Troll and Tomb Raider director Roar Uthaug.
The English-language feature is based on an original idea by Uthaug and screenwriter Espen Aukan, the Norwegian creative duo behind Netflix global franchise Troll.
Set in Thailand, the story follows a group of international backpackers who become entangled in a curse connected to an unsolved death. Blending supernatural mythology with mounting paranoia, the film is inspired by the folklore of Southeast Asia.
Now in development, it will mark the next feature from Uthaug, the director of 2022 action-adventure film Troll, which recorded more than 100 million views for Netflix, and 2025 sequel Troll 2. He also directed Warner Bros.’ 2018 adaptation of Tomb Raider, starring Alica Vikander, and Norway’s first disaster feature The Wave.
The project is produced by Erika North and Nick North of Singapore-based Yeti Entertainment, alongside Claire Willats and Katie Davidson of UK-based Two Magpies Entertainment. It reunites Uthaug with Willats, who previously served as Netflix’s director of film for the Nordics, where she greenlit Troll. Executive producer is Jonathan Spink, former CEO of HBO Asia.
Uthaug described Amara as “a fast, intense horror experience that takes something familiar and comforting - a carefree trip with friends - and turns it into a nightmare”. He added that the filmmaking team aims to create “a relentless propulsive and globally accessible horror film that keeps audiences on edge from beginning to end.”
It marks the first English-language title for K-Movie Entertainment, which is known for handling sales of blockbuster Korean franchise The Roundup starring Don Lee.
K-Movie’s Cannes slate includes an upcoming Indonesian remake of The Man From Nowhere led by action star Joe Taslim and directed by Kenji Tanigaki (The Furious) as well as Pendekar: Warrior, featuring Iko Uwais of The Raid in the lead role.
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