Osgood Perkins is to Neon as Ari Aster is to A24. Does that make sense? Both are acclaimed filmmakers known for their horror movies who have produced multiple hit movies for their respective indie distributors.
Perkins is set to continue making movies for Neon thanks to a new first-look deal involving his new banner, Phobos. The Hollywood Reporter shares that the director will run his company alongside partner Chris Ferguson and under the deal, "Neon will serve as the home for Perkins' projects, which he and Ferguson will produce."
Additionally, the deal allows for Phobos co-owners Perkins and Ferguson to produce other movies being released by Neon, who will be responsible for the theatrical releases in the United States and represent that international sales.
Perkins has directed several horror movies throughout the years, starting with his directorial debut The Blackcoat's Daughter and following it up with I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House and Gretel & Hansel. But he had a breakout year in 2024 thanks to the success of his serial killer thriller Longlegs starring Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe.
Longlegs went on to surpass Academy Award-winning film Parasite as Neon's highest-grossing movie ever and it became the overall top-grossing indie movie of 2024.
“Ever hear the one about the filmmaker who madly loves his distributor? No? That’s because I think this might be the very first time it’s happened in our business where even brief phone calls can be rough. Meanwhile here I am with NEON, like: You hang up first, no you hang up first! I couldn’t be happier," says Perkins about his relationship with the distributor.
In 2025, Perkins released his dark comedy/horror movie The Monkey, based on the Stephen King short story of the same name. While The Monkey didn't perform financially as well as Longlegs, it still received significant acclaim from critics.
Perkins's next directorial effort is the horror film Keeper starring Tatiana Maslany and Rossif Sutherland. Unlike with The Monkey and Longlegs, Perkins didn't write the script for this one, it was instead written by Nick Lepard.
In Keeper, Maslany plays Liz, who sets out on a romantic getaway with her partner Malcolm (Sutherland). But when Malcolm leaves Liz alone in their cabin, she discovers a sinister presence is there with her. On Wednesday, Neon shared an eerie broadcast showing Maslany's character endlessly scribbling in a notebook. Keeper will be released in theaters on October 3.
Perkins is best known for directing horror movies these days, but he started his career in acting. His father was none other than the late Anthony Perkins, who originated the character of Norman Bates in Psycho. Perkins even played a young Norman in Psycho II. Some of his other notable acting roles include Legally Blonde, Secretary, and Nope. He also had a role in his film The Monkey.