Charlie is ready to take the stage in the upcoming horror comedy film Cannibal Comedian from writer/director Sean Haitz (Big Top Evil, Mangrove Slasher 2, AREA 5150).

A twisted blend of gut-busting laughs and terrifying thrills, Cineverse and Scream Team Releasing have acquired North American distribution rights to this slasher flick that promises to push the boundaries of horror and humor in an unforgettable cinematic experience with a fresh and unique voice.

The news was first reported by Deadline this afternoon.

Written and directed by Sean Haitz (Big Top Evil), Cannibal Comedian tells the story of a psychopathic cannibal who is fed up with his lack of ambition and takes a stab at stand-up comedy in an attempt to chase both his dreams and his victims.

The film stars Aaron Prager (Haunted House of Pancakes), Austin Judd (Big Top Evil), and Robert Dunne (Criminal Minds) with appearances from horror veterans Allen Danziger and Edwin Neal, best known for their iconic roles in Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Their involvement adds a nostalgic treat for horror fans.

“We are thrilled to partner with Cineverse and Scream Team Releasing to bring Cannibal Comedian to the horror and stand-up comedy fans,” says Haitz. “I think people are really going to eat it up! It’s a love letter to my favorite horror classics like Texas Chainsaw and comedies such as Ace Ventura. When I first moved out to Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to try my hand at stand-up and quickly realized how brutal it was, but for the main character of Charlie, he kills both on stage and off stage.”

The festival favorite took top honors at Marina Del Rey, Silicon Beach at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre, Culver City, Days of the Dead, HorrorHound, and Houston Horror. The film even caught the attention of horror host Joe Bob Briggs, who presented the filmmakers with a Hubbie award at his World Drive-In Jamboree, and filmmaker Kevin Smith, who hosted it at his Smodcastle Film Festival. 

The deal was negotiated by Brandon Hill, Executive Director, Acquisitions, on behalf of Cineverse, Scream Team Releasing Founder Justin M. Seaman with Head of Acquisitions Mark Reyes, and Haitz’ Happy Fright Films label alongside producer Ryan James of Pink Plaid Productions.

“Excited to be working with Sean, Ryan and Scream Team Releasing on Cannibal Comedian,” says Hill. “They’ve put together a really fun and dynamic film and our SCREAMBOX and Bloody Disgusting audience will really chew into it.”

“I honestly can’t think of a better duo of distributors for this particular project,” says James. “When we initially brainstormed about our pie-in-the-sky home for Cannibal Comedian, Cineverse and Scream Team Releasing were the top two names on that list, because they both continue to be at the top of their game with an eye for everything that is fun, innovative, and daring in the horror genre right now. So it really is an honor for both of them to see what we believed in as a group of passionate indie filmmakers who did whatever it took to pursue those aspirations, just like Charlie, to tell a brand new tale that would speak to aspiring artists and fans of both the horror and comedy genres… It truly is a dream come true.”

Cineverse, known for its commitment to bringing thrilling content such as the box office smash-hit Terrifier franchise and the upcoming remake of The Toxic Avenger to audiences nationwide, will release the film across its wide distribution footprint – including SCREAMBOX, its horror streaming platform that caters to the genre’s most devoted followers, powered by Bloody Disgusting, the trusted source for horror news, reviews, and features – in the U.S. and Canada.

The encompassing territories will be able to own the film on physical media formats by way of Blu-ray and limited edition VHS copies signed by the cast and crew from Scream Team Releasing, renowned for distributing some of the most beloved indie horror titles such as The Barn series, rounding out the powerhouse distribution team behind the project.

Cannibal Comedian will be released on Blu-ray and VHS on March 1. The film will then be released on digital platforms, such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Microsoft/Xbox, and Fandango at Home, in addition to streaming exclusively on SCREAMBOX available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, Fire TV, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com on March 4.

Listed below is the bonus content included with the Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release:

• Feature Introduction from Sean Haitz
• Cast & Crew Commentary Track with director/writer/producer Sean Haitz, producer/editor Ryan James (“Bruce”), Aaron Prager (“Charlie”), Austin Judd (“Chrystal”), Robert Dunne (“Carrey”), Mis Sadistic (“Eleanor”), David Vega (“Sheriff Weaver”), and Tania Estrada (“Desert Woman”)
• Filmmaker Technical Commentary Track with director/writer/producer Sean Haitz and producer/editor Ryan James
• “Blood, Sweat, Tears… and More Blood: The Making of Cannibal Comedian” Feature-Length Behind the Scenes Documentary
• “Comedy + Horror” featurette with Aaron Prager & Robert Dunne
• Alternate Ending
• Deleted & Extended Scenes
• Extended Stand-Up Comedy
• Short Films
  • “Cannibaholics”
  • “Thumper’s Revenge”
    • Special Introduction from Sean Haitz
• Trailers
• First Look Teaser
• Original Proof of Concept

Preorders are now available on https://screamteamreleasing.com, Prime Video and Apple TV.