Eli Roth is ready to serve horror fans something chilling and sweet. The genre maestro behind Hostel, Cabin Fever, and last year’s slasher hit Thanksgiving has officially unveiled the cast for his next blood-soaked creation, Ice Cream Man, the debut feature from his new company, The Horror Section.
Leading the pack is Orphan Black standout Ari Millen as the titular frozen treat vendor from hell. He’s joined by Benjamin Byron Davis (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Karen Cliche (Thanksgiving), Dylan Hawco (Heartland), Sarah Abbott (Black Mirror, The Body), Shiloh O’Reilly (Thanksgiving), Kiori Mirza Waldman, Charlie Zeltzer (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Charlie Storey (Thanksgiving). And yes, Roth himself will appear in front of the camera, because what’s an Eli Roth joint without a cameo from the master of mayhem?
A Twenty-Year Nightmare Finally Served
“I couldn’t be more excited about the incredible cast we’ve assembled for Ice Cream Man,” Roth said in a statement. “It’s surreal to see the idea I’ve had for over twenty years come to life, and with this insanely talented cast, we get to deliver a film to horror fans that’s as terrifying as I’ve always imagined.”
Roth co-wrote the screenplay with longtime collaborator Noah Belson, and the project has already caused a stir in the international market. After debuting at Cannes, the film sold out nearly the entire world’s rights, a testament to the filmmaker’s enduring pull with genre distributors. STUDIOCANAL’s Sixth Dimension has already scooped up rights across the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
A Sinister Summer in the Making
Plot details are under wraps, but the premise sounds like a wicked blend of Gremlins and It Follows: an idyllic summer town spirals into madness when an ice cream man serves kids treats with… less-than-sweet results. Principal photography wrapped in September, and the film is on track for a wide theatrical release in 2026.
Behind the scenes, the horror pedigree is stacked. Roth is producing alongside Christopher Woodrow and Raj Singh of Media Capital Technologies (MCT) and Kate Harrison of Cream Productions. Executive producers include Kevin Frakes, Connor DiGregorio, Eli Massillon, Lorenzo Antonucci, and The Horror Section’s Jon Schnaars and Holly Adams.
The film’s score will come from Emmy Award®-winner Brandon Roberts, with additional music by none other than Snoop Dogg, who seems to be cementing his status as horror’s unlikeliest (and coolest) collaborator. The gore factor is in capable hands, too. Steve Newburn (Thanksgiving) and Oscar-winning Adrien Morot (The Whale) are teaming up to create the film’s practical effects and monstrous makeup.
The Birth of The Horror Section
Ice Cream Man also marks the first feature under Roth’s new media venture, The Horror Section, launched earlier this year with MCT. The company aims to build the world’s premier horror brand, uniting film, TV, games, podcasts, and live experiences under one gory banner. Its mission? To “super-serve” horror fans, or as Roth might put it, to feed their twisted appetites.
The company’s early slate includes Ice Cream Man and the provocatively titled Don’t Go In That House, Bitch!, which will feature Snoop Dogg not just as a producer, but also as a contributing writer and performer on the original soundtrack.
If Thanksgiving was Roth’s triumphant return to splatter cinema, Ice Cream Man looks like his next evolution, a full-bodied, brand-driven plunge into the genre he helped define. Between its powerhouse cast, old-school effects team, and a concept that blends nostalgic Americana with pitch-black humor, Ice Cream Man might just be the scoop horror fans didn’t know they needed.
Ice Cream Man is set for a 2026 theatrical release.
Follow updates from The Horror Section at horrorsectionstudios.com
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