©Deadline - Alex BurholtJane Schoenbrun
In the seemingly perfect town of Roosevelt, an old urban legend circulates: if you have sex too young, you get infected with 'the bug' — a mysterious virus that literally turns you into a monster reflecting your deepest fears. Absurd, right? That's what Chris thought, until she finds herself infected after one reckless night at the start of her senior year. Banished from the community, she is forced to live in the woods with others who carry the virus. However, a new threat emerges: a serial killer who begins to pick off the infected one by one.
Originally, production companies New Regency and Plan B wanted to adapt Black Hole into a film seven years ago — with Rick Famuyiwa as writer and director — but that project never got off the ground. Now, the story is getting a new life as a television series.
The deal is a sign that the television market is recovering: there have been several bidding wars recently that have led to significant commitments. For instance, Netflix recently gave a direct-to-series order to a supernatural drama series by Joshua Zetumer (Say Nothing), while Paramount+ acquired the rights to Discretion, starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning.
Black Hole is part of New Regency's current television portfolio, which also includes Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime Video), the Malcolm in the Middle reboot (Disney+), and Man on Fire (Netflix).
Jane Schoenbrun was praised for their psychological horror film I Saw the TV Glow (2024), which received six Independent Spirit Awards nominations — including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay — and three Gotham Awards nominations. Their next film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, starring Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder, is being produced by Plan B and Mubi.
