EXCLUSIVE: Josh Duhamel (Transformers) has boarded Speak, a psychological horror thriller taking its cue from a sinister vintage ventriloquist dummy and directed by John Kissack.
The elevated genre package is co-written by Joe Carnahan (The Grey), Kissack and Casey Giltner. Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers) is producing through Di Bonaventura Pictures alongside Carnahan, Marvin Neil, Liz Paulson and Kay Cardinal.
CAA Media Finance arranged financing and co-represents U.S. distribution rights, while Edoardo Bussi’s Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment serves as executive producer and will officially introduce the project to buyers at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival Market.
Kissack’s previous credits include figure skating world set horror Everfall, while Carnahan is currently riding high on the success of Netflix hit The Rip starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
“I’ve had great collaborations with Josh and Joe and together we are excited to have the privilege of fostering a new talent like John,” said di Bonaventura who worked with Duhamel on Transformers as well as Netflix superhero series Jupiter’s Legacy, as well as with Carnahan on numerous projects.
Set in 1994, Speak follows a twelve-year-old boy who observes his father’s behavior turn terrifyingly unhinged following the inheritance of a vintage ventriloquist dummy. As dark occurrences begin to shatter the quiet of their isolated home, the boy is forced to navigate a harrowing psychological nightmare where the line between real-world madness and supernatural terror blurs.
“I grew up in the ’90s reading Stephen King and watching VHS horror movies. Speak fuses the nostalgia of that era with an approach that’s elevated and character driven. Joe Carnahan is a filmmaker I admire, and it’s a privilege to tap into his instincts and experience. I’m honoured to bring this terrifying journey to life alongside Joe, Lorenzo and our incredible team. We’re going to make a killer movie.” said Kissack.
Carnahan said: “John Kissack is one of the most tenacious and talented young filmmakers that I’ve had the good fortune of finding and working with. People talk about “Singular Vision” all the time but to see it up close, day after day, is really something special. And teaming up with both Lorenzo and Josh, whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with prior, is just extra icing on the cake.”
Neil is producing under the banner of Inaugural Entertainment, his recently launched L.A.-based studio with film financier indie film financier Kevin Weisberg, which previously worked with Carnahan on Not Without Hope.
“Working with Lorenzo, Joe, and John to bring this project to life is a special experience. I’m excited for global audiences to soon see what we’ve done here,” said Neil.
Kevin Weisberg added: “After having previously worked with Joe on Not Without Hope, we were more than excited to partner again on Speak. This is a special project that will surely add to the wave of great horror projects we’ve seen over the past few years.”
Former Amazon MGM Studios and GFM Films exec Bussi launched London-based production and international sales company Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment in 2025 with a focus on high concept commercial feature films.
“We are thrilled to launch Speak to international buyers at TIFF,” said Bussi. “John and Joe have delivered an exceptional, razor-sharp script, and the intense development effort across our team—alongside our valued ongoing partnership with Inaugural Entertainment—has positioned this title as a genuine breakout global event. Combining an A-list creative package with a visceral, high-concept narrative makes this exactly the priority genre title international distributors are looking to acquire.”
Duhamel is represented by UTA. Carnahan is represented by CAA and Paul Hastings. Giltner is represented by Zero Gravity Management.
Principal photography is scheduled to commence this October, targeting a worldwide release in 2027.
