LOS ANGELES, July 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ryan Kavanaugh's Proxima Media is officially in production on SKILL HOUSE, the first installment in the R–rated horror film franchise starring social media phenomenon and TikTok star Bryce Hall. Since its spring announcement, CURTIS “50 Cent” JACKSON will also produce through his G–Unit Film & Television and star in the film. UFC veteran and BKFC and AEW star Paige VanZant has also joined the cast. And renowned Emmy–winning special effects artist Steve Johnson (GHOSTBUSTERS, BICENTENNIAL MAN, SPIDER–MAN 2) is delivering some of the most realistic guts and gore fans will ever see.

Additional cast includes Leah Pipes (SORORITY ROW, The Originals), McCarrie McCausland (Army Wives, The Originals), Ivan Leung (THE TENDER BAR, All American, Grey's Anatomy), Neal McDonough (CAPTAIN AMERICA, MINORITY REPORT, Yellowstone, Suits), John DeLuca (Spree, American Horror Story), and Caitlin Carmichael (MIDNIGHT IN THE SWITCHGRASS, EPIPHANY).

“This film is bursting with mavericks of entertainment, many of them spanning multiple genres and platforms,” notes Kavanaugh. Regarding producing with 50 Cent, Kavanaugh adds, “From a global rap and hip–hop music icon to a businessman, actor, writer, and producer – if anyone knows a thing or two about breaking the boundaries, it's 50 Cent. I'm honored to work alongside him as we watch Bryce do the same with his career.”

A saw–like take that breaks into the phenomenon of social media fame and culture, SKILL HOUSE offers an unflinching take on fame and what new celebrities are willing to do to attain it.

The Los Angeles–based film, which is being primarily shot in the original “Sway House,” looks at the world of social media fame and pushes the limits when “clicks” and “clout” become life or death literally.

With an expected early 2023 release date, the project is financed and controlled by Proxima Media, owned and operated by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony–nominated mega–producer Ryan Kavanaugh. It is written and directed by horror film legend Josh Stolberg, co–writer of horror films such as SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW (starring Chris Rock and Samuel L Jackson), JIGSAW, PIRANHA 3D, SORORITY ROW, as well as the next SAW film (tentatively titled SAW X). Through his G–Unit Film & Television, Jackson will also produce alongside Kavanaugh, Alex Baskin, and Lifeboat Productions' Amy Kim and Jaime Burke. Daniel Herther, who oversees production and creative development at Proxima, will serve as executive producer alongside Jason Barhydt and Bobby Sarnevesht.

About Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has carved out a thriving television and film career as both a best–in–class producer and star. In 2005, he founded G–Unit Film & Television, Inc., which produced a wide variety of content across numerous platforms and sold a myriad of shows to various networks. Among these is the critically–acclaimed #1 show on Starz, “Power,” in which he not only co–starred in but also served as executive producer and director. In October 2018, Jackson and Starz/Lionsgate closed an unprecedented deal for Jackson's G–Unit Film & Television, Inc. The partnership, touted as among the most significant deals to date for an Executive Producer in premium television, will focus on the expansion of the “Power” universe, recently announced spin–offs “Power Book II: Ghost,” “Power Book III: Raising Kanan,” and “Power Book IV: Force.” G–Unit Film & Television also produced the ABC hit “For Life” and recently launched the first season of the widely anticipated series “Black Mafia Family” for Starz, which was immediately renewed for a second season. G–Unit is also in development on scripted series “Family Affair” ABC, “The 50th Law” Netflix, Let Me Hear a Rhyme” at Peacock and “Unseen,” “Angel's Playbook,” “Moment in Time,” and “Queen Nzinga” at Starz. It was announced in May 2021 that “Confessions of A Crime Queen” was a straight–to–series order on Discovery+. Jackson is also currently in production on a BMF Docuseries at Starz and unscripted series, “Hip Hop Homicides,” at WeTV. The company is also building out its feature slate, starting with a 3 picture Horror deal in collaboration with Horror phenom Eli Roth and 3BlackDot.

About Paige VanZant
Paige VanZant is a mixed martial arts artist, former UFC fighter, bare–knuckle boxer, professional wrestler, author, and model. She has appeared on television in Dancing with the Stars and Chopped.

About Josh Stolberg
Josh Stolberg is a writer, director, and producer responsible for some of the most popular horror films today, including JIGSAW, PIRANHA 3D, SORORITY ROW, and most recently, SPIRAL. He has written films for Netflix, Disney, Lionsgate, and more. He is currently writing a Dwayne Johnson actioner at Netflix as well as the next installment of the popular Saw franchise.

About Lifeboat Productions
Amy Kim and Jaime Burke are award–winning producers with over 20 years of diverse experience. They have produced original content for all the leading streamers and studios with their most recent credits, including the upcoming series Surfside Girls for Apple+ and Amazon's Undone. Kim got her producing start with the Academy Award Winning Short Film, WEST BANK STORY and served as Head of Production for Michael Eisner's digital studio Vuguru before forming Lifeboat Productions with Jaime Burke in 2012. Burke started her film–producing career with such titles as THE POSSESSION OF MICHAEL KING and the indie horror classic, THE PACT. This is their second collaboration with writer/director Josh Stolberg.

About Proxima and Ryan Kavanaugh
Founder of Proxima Media, the controlling shareholder of Triller, Ryan Kavanaugh is one of the most accomplished, prolific, and honored executives in entertainment industry history. Using an intelligent model of film finance, he was dubbed the creator of “Moneyball for movies.” He produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 films, generating more than $20 billion in worldwide box office revenue and earning 60 Oscar nominations. He is the 25th highest–grossing film producer of all time. His productions include Fast and Furious 2–6, 300, Social Network, Limitless, Fighter, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and Mama Mia! Kavanaugh and Proxima pioneered an innovative finance deal for post–bankruptcy Marvel, making the studio and finance structure that led to Marvel Cinematic Universe. He built the SVOD (streaming) category with Netflix, which boosted that company's market capitalization from $2 to $10 billion. Kavanaugh is the co–founder of Triller, one of the three fastest–growing social media apps. He recently led the acquisition, merger, and re–launch of the social media and music app.
He also created the powerhouse television company, now known as Critical Content, producing hit shows like Catfish on MTV and Limitless on CBS, which he sold for $200M. The company had 40 television series across 19 networks before its sale. Kavanaugh has earned several achievements and awards, from Variety's Producer of the Year Award to The Hollywood Reporter's Leadership Award, from Fortune's 40 Under 40 Most Influential People in Business to Forbes' Fortune 400, Billion–Dollar Producer by the Daily Variety and the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Vanity Fair. Proxima and Kavanaugh are repped by Neil Sacker.

Attachments

• Curtis 50 Cent Jackson
• Ryan Kavanaugh
• Bryce Hall
• Josh Stolberg – Director
• Caitlin Carmichael
• Dani Oliveros
• Emily Mei
• Ivan Leung
• Jacob Skidmore
• John Deluca
• Leah Pipes
• Mcarrie Mccausland
• Neal McDonough
• Paige VanZant