According to THR, a five-studio bidding war has ended with a “massive, multi-million dollar deal” as Warner Bros. has picked up the rights to “Siren Head,” a viral horror meme created by creature designer Trevor Henderson that “centers on a tall, rotting skeletal figure with, wait for it, two sirens as a head.”
What’s most intriguing is the talent involved in bringing the meme to the big screen. Zach Cregger is writing the script, with Brian Duffield set to direct.
The intensity of the bidding, and its high price, shows not only the strength of the players involved but also demonstrates how internet memes have become a highly mineable source material for Hollywood movies.
The package for the project reportedly attracted intense competition from major Hollywood studios, including Sony, Universal, Paramount, and 20th Century Studios. A theatrical release was a central condition of the deal, and the agreement notably kept major streaming platforms out of the bidding process.
Now, you might be asking yourself: how do you make a meme into a movie? Let Hollywood handle it. Cregger and Duffield have apparently found a “shared angle” on the material that sparked interest from both themselves and the studios.
“Siren Head” has accumulated billions of views across TikTok and YouTube, as well as strong engagement on Roblox. This latest project is another sign of Hollywood increasingly targeting Gen Z audiences in theaters, inspired by breakout successes from horror projects that originated as online shorts. The “Obsession” and “Backrooms” phenomenon is already having its effect.
Duffield has “Whalefall” coming this October. He has only helmed two other features, “Spontaneous” (2020) and “No One Will Save You” (2023), both well-reviewed direct-to-streaming efforts. He is also rumored to be writing an “Alien” movie for 20th Century.
Meanwhile, this is now the third Cregger project set up at Warner Bros., following the “Gladys” prequel—which he is only writing, not directing—and “The Flood,” a sci-fi film he is directing that is currently slated for release on August 11, 2028. Up next for Cregger is the “Resident Evil” reboot at Sony, which is set to hit theaters this September.
Garland's script is written. Boyle called it "fantastic" in that same interview, Murphy says he's ready, and Boyle wants to direct. All that's missing is the money.