Neon Acquires Jeff Nichols' Southern Gothic Horror Film 'King Snake' for U.S. Release

Neon has acquired the U.S. rights to Jeff Nichols’ forthcoming Southern Gothic horror film ‘King Snake’, the studio announced today.

Neon, the Academy Award-winning studio behind ‘Parasite’ and ‘Anora’, has built a reputation for championing bold, award-winning cinema. The studio also found success with hits like ‘The Monkey’ and ‘Longlegs’.

‘King Snake’ is directed by Nichols, known for his critically acclaimed films ‘Mud’, ‘Midnight Special’, and ‘The Bikeriders’. The film is financed by FilmNation Entertainment and stars Margaret Qualley and Michael Shannon, Nichols’ frequent collaborator, alongside Drew Starkey.

The movie will be produced by Nichols and his Tri-State Pictures partners Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Sarah Green, in association with Range Media Partners. FilmNation’s Stacey Snider and Glen Basner serve as executive producers.

The deal was negotiated by Neon and FilmNation Entertainment, in cooperation with Range Media Partners, on behalf of the filmmakers. Neon will release the film theatrically across the U.S.

Principal photography for ‘King Snake’ began this month in Arkansas.

Plot and Genre

Described as a Southern Gothic horror movie, ‘King Snake’ follows a young couple—played by Qualley and Starkey—who inherit an Arkansas farm. The couple faces both real-world challenges and supernatural forces, battling physical and metaphysical demons while uncovering the property’s dark legacy, according to the official synopsis.

Neon’s Cannes Film Festival Slate

The acquisition of ‘King Snake’ comes ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, where Neon’s diverse slate of films will be prominently featured. The studio’s films in competition include:

• James Gray’s ‘Paper Tiger’
• Arthur Harari’s ‘The Unknown’
• Cristian Mungiu’s ‘Fjord’
• Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘All of a Sudden’
• Hirokazu Koreeda’s ‘Sheep in the Box’
• Na Hong-Jin’s ‘Hope’

In the Directors’ Fortnight section, Neon will screen Arie Esiri and Chuko Esiri’s ‘Clarissa’, a modern reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs. Dalloway’, as well as David Greaves’ ‘Once Upon a Time in Harlem’, which premiered at Sundance.

Rounding out the slate, Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Her Private Hell’ will screen out of competition. The film marks Refn’s first feature since ‘The Neon Demon’, which was released a decade ago.

Jeff Nichols’ Legacy in American Cinema

Since his 2007 debut ‘Shotgun Stories’, Jeff Nichols has established himself as one of the most compelling American filmmakers, known for his versatility across genres while maintaining a deep focus on character and the American experience. His filmography includes:

• ‘Take Shelter’ – an apocalyptic drama
• ‘Mud’ – a sprawling Southern folktale
• ‘Midnight Special’ – a science fiction road movie
• ‘Loving’ – a based-on-a-true-story romance
• ‘The Bikeriders’ – a period drama capturing the spirit of a bygone era