Emile Hirsch, Justin Long Movie ‘Lice’ Acquired by Magenta Light Studios
EXCLUSIVE: Bob Yari’s Magenta Light Studios you could have taken North American theatrical rights to the horror-thriller, Lice, for a Q1 2027 launch.
The characteristic directorial debut of filmmaker Jonathan Bensimon stars Emile Hirsch, Justin Longand Kevin Connolly throughout a lethal outbreak of a parasite at a Long Island highschool within the Eighties. When the college goes underneath army lockdown, the itch-crazed college students activate one another in a determined battle to outlive. Hirsch performs burned-out science instructor Mr. Shanker, who finds new objective as he investigates the bloodthirsty mites, Long as Principal Van, a person who’s out of his depth and shortly out of his thoughts, and Connolly because the tenacious Detective Sikorski, the determined cop on the surface racing in opposition to time to include the outbreak earlier than it consumes the whole city.
Pic additionally stars Emilie Bierre, Joelle Farrow, Riley Davis, Tom Keat, Annamarie Kasper, Cooper Levy, Christian Meer, Gage Munroe, Devyn Nekoda, Sabrina Saudin, and Milton Torres Lara.
Connolly additionally serves as producer underneath his ActionPark Productions banner, alongside producer Jeremy Alter. Bob Yari and David Spiegelman of Magenta Light Studios are EPs together with Eustace Montgomery Hicks. The screenplay was written by Anthony Musella and Shaun Harris (The Hemingway Thief). Highland Film Group is dealing with worldwide gross sales out of Cannes.
“We always wanted Lice to feel like a visceral, throwback thrill ride—something pulpy, unsettling, and darkly funny all at once. Collaborating with this cast and creative team allowed us to push that tone in unexpected ways, balancing chaos with character. We also leaned into bold, tactile techniques to create a visual style that feels both nostalgic and immediate. I’m especially excited to be partnering with Magenta Light Studios to bring the film to theaters—it’s the perfect home for this kind of daring, cinematic experience, and I can’t wait for audiences to see it on the big screen,” stated Bensimon.
“From the moment we read the script, Lice stood out as a bold, wildly original ride,” said Bob Yari, CEO of Magenta Light Studios. “Jonathan Bensimon has crafted a film that’s as smart as it is unsettling, blending dark humor, suspense, and real emotional stakes. 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.”