Viral Horror Creator Spencer Lackey Teams With Neon, Blumhouse for First Movie ‘Lust’

Move over, Kane Parsons and Curry Barker – a fresh name has emerged in the world of horror content creation. Spencer Lackey, a New York City-based filmmaker with over 7 million followers on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, has teamed up with Neon, Blumhouse Atomic Monster, and Spooky Pictures to bring his debut horror movie, "Lust," to the big screen.

Lackey, who has made his mark with narrative-driven horror shorts, wrote and will direct "Lust." The film will be produced by Steven Schneider for Spooky Pictures and Jason Blum and James Wan for Blumhouse Atomic Monster, with both co-financing the project.

Last year, Lackey's short film "You Are Here," produced by Mike Flanagan, made waves at various film festivals. His rise to fame comes at a time when filmmakers who started on social media and YouTube platforms are gaining recognition. Barker's "Obsession," which earned over $509 million worldwide on a modest budget of around $750,000, and Parsons' "Backrooms," which made $394 million worldwide on a budget of less than $10 million, are prime examples.

Blum is an executive producer on "Obsession," while Atomic Monster has been involved in projects like "Backrooms." With Warner Bros. securing the rights to "Siren Head," based on a popular meme, and previous content creator collaborations like "Shelby Oaks" and "It Ends," the industry is increasingly embracing digital-native talent. Lackey, represented by 3 Arts Entertainment, WME, and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis, is set to make his mark in the horror genre with "Lust."