While the world’s most glamorous film festival rages on with red carpets, standing ovations, and desperate distribution deals, behind closed doors, a monstrous new movie is stirring. And it has J.J. Abrams, Brie Larson, and some of horror’s hottest names ready to blow the doors off the genre.
Deadline has confirmed that Brie Larson is officially set to star in Fail-Safe, a mysterious new horror film helmed by Strange Darling director JT Mollner, written by Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You), and produced by none other than J.J. Abrams through Bad Robot alongside Infrared, FilmNation’s genre label.
The announcement comes during a week of major wheeling and dealing in Cannes, where projects not even in competition are often the ones to watch. Just days after news broke that a John Rambo prequel was quietly making the rounds for buyers, Fail-Safe is now poised to be one of the festival’s most sought-after future bets, a blend of prestige, creature terror, and A-list power.
“A Sweet, Moving, Terrifying Ride” – Abrams Teases a New Horror Benchmark
Adapted from a short story by Philip Fracass, Fail-Safe is described as a modern reimagining of the creature feature. At the story’s center is a young boy slowly uncovering a sinister truth: his seemingly perfect parents, particularly his mother, hide something monstrous. Cue the maternal nightmare, the childlike dread, and a deeply psychological descent into horror.
J.J. Abrams had nothing but praise for his collaborators, saying in a statement:
“With Fail-Safe, Brian Duffield has written an absolute powerhouse of a script. It’s a horror film that is as sweet and moving as it is terrifying. To have JT Mollner in the director’s chair, his Strange Darling blew me away, is a dream come true. Finally, having the limitlessly talented Brie Larson as our star sets up Fail-Safe to be that rare horror film that makes you laugh, feel, and care, before taking you on an absolutely wild ride.”
The mix of emotion and monster mayhem isn’t new to Abrams, whose work often fuses family dynamics with blockbuster thrills (Super 8, Cloverfield). Still, Fail-Safe returns to a purer, more intimate horror style while anchoring it with Oscar-winning gravitas.
From MCU to Monstrous Secrets: Brie Larson Gets Dark
For Brie Larson, Fail-Safe signals a sharp pivot. While she’s no stranger to genre work, her resume includes Captain Marvel, Kong: Skull Island, and Scott Pilgrim. This role is set to be her most unnerving to date. The character, described as emotionally intense and deeply unsettling, will reportedly push Larson into psychological horror territory she’s never tackled on screen.
Drew Simon, President of Production at Infrared, called it a role that demands everything.
“I’m beyond excited to see Brie take on this role – it’s frightening, emotionally charged, and so different from anything she’s done before. The depth and intensity this character demands is immense, and I know Brie’s going to bring something unforgettable to the screen.”
With her Academy Award-winning performance in Room still widely regarded as a masterclass in controlled emotion and dread, horror fans speculate that Larson could deliver another genre-defining turn, drenched in blood, secrets, and maternal terror.
Marvel Muted? Larson’s Quiet MCU Status Sparks Questions
But the casting also raises another question: Is Brie Larson done with Marvel?
Notably, Larson was absent from the massive Avengers: Doomsday livestream earlier this year, a five-hour, global event that announced returning and new MCU faces but not Captain Marvel. The snub raised eyebrows. While insiders suggest Larson may be announced later, the timing of Fail-Safe only deepens the speculation.
The Marvels, the last film featuring Larson’s cosmic superhero, underperformed at the box office, and despite rumors of Carol Danvers playing a significant role in Doomsday, her silence and Marvel’s is telling.
Theoretically, Fail-Safe would not conflict with Avengers: Doomsday, which is currently filming in London. Many of its stars are juggling other projects. However, the absence of confirmation from Marvel and the optics of Larson jumping into a high-profile horror vehicle suggests either a strategic career reinvention or a distancing from the franchise.
Still, with Fail-Safe not yet dated for production and likely a tight shooting schedule, insiders say there’s room for Larson to straddle both cinematic worlds, though time will tell if Marvel sees it that way.
A Modern Monster Movie With Prestige Power
With Strange Darling positioning JT Mollner as one of the most exciting breakout horror directors of 2024 and Brian Duffield continuing to prove his genre mastery, from Spontaneous to Love and Monsters to No One Will Save You, Fail-Safe may well be the next Hereditary, Get Out, or The Babadook, a horror film with teeth, brains, and awards-season potential.
The project is being shopped to distributors during Cannes, where insiders say buyers are “buzzing” and looking to lock down what could become one of 2026’s most anticipated genre titles.
So, while Cannes may be celebrating Anora and debating Megalopolis, the absolute terror might be in the deals being inked behind the scenes. And with Fail-Safe, J.J. Abrams isn’t just back; he’s bringing monsters, secrets, and Brie Larson.
The post Brie Larson Goes Full Horror in J.J. Abrams’ Twisted New Monster Movie ‘Fail-Safe’ appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews & More.
