New horror in prep

Screen International Cannes daily:

Berlin-based genre production outfit Schmerbeck Entertainment is preparing two new horror features hot on the heels of its German box-office hit HEILSTÄTTEN.

Michael David Pate is directing the English-language SMILE, about a group of six successful online influencers, and visual-effects specialist Benjamin Diez is making German/English language title DEATH STRIP. The latter is set on a party boat in Berlin as the souls of the dead return to wreak havoc.

Producer Till Schmerbeck talked up his desire to make the company the "Blumhouse of Germany"."After the Second World War, there was no German narrative tradition to develop horror films. My company wants to change that."