“Ice Cream Man,” Eli Roth‘s new horror film, has sold several key international rights to StudioCanal’s Sixth Dimension out of Cannes.
The acquisition marks the first major transaction for the film out of the Cannes market, and grants StudioCanal distribution rights across the U.K., Germany, France, Benelux, Poland, Australia, and New Zealand. Media Capital Technologies (MCT) and The Horror Section are fully financing and producing the movie about an idyllic summer town that descends into madness when an ice cream man serves kids sweet delights with horrifying results.
The Horror Section, Roth’s new company, has U.S. rights to the film. It is planning to give “Ice Cream Man” a wide theatrical release during the second quarter of 2026.
WME Independent is representing international rights to “Ice Cream Man” and introduced it to buyers in Cannes this week. The deal was negotiated by WME Independent and Andrew Kramer of Willkie Farr & Gallagher on behalf of the film.
“The debut of ‘Ice Cream Man’ at Cannes is off to a strong start, and with this kind of momentum, we’re confident that this is just the beginning of an exciting journey ahead,” said MCT Principals Christopher Woodrow and Raj Singh. “StudioCanal is the perfect home for what we believe to be the next great horror franchise, and we are thrilled to partner with them as we move into production.”
“When we launched Sixth Dimension at StudioCanal last year, the challenge was to find bold zeitgeisty genre movies to surprise and thrill audiences. Then along comes horror maestro Eli Roth, who StudioCanal last worked with on ‘The Last Exorcism,’ with his gleefully twisted ‘Ice Cream Man’ and leaves us helpless to resist that familiar jingle,” said Jed Benedict, head of Sixth Dimension. “We can’t wait to work with Eli Roth, MCT and The Horror Section to help build ‘Ice Cream Man’ into a new horror franchise.”
‘Ice Cream Man’ marks MCT’s debut as a financier of independent film projects, an expansion from its role as Lionsgate’s primary slate co-financing partner on films such a “Saw X” and “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” as well as the upcoming John Wick spinoff “Ballerina” and “The Housemaid.”
MCT is a specialty finance company focused on strategic investments in premium content. The company provides capital to media and entertainment businesses, including motion picture studios, independent production companies, and other rights-holders. A range of institutional investors, including MassMutual, support the company and its investment activities.
Roth, in partnership with MCT, launched The Horror Section as a media company focused on building a strong library of intellectual property and creating a premiere horror brand.
MCT is represented by CAA. Eli Roth is represented by WME.
