James Tynion IV's horror comic Exquisite Corpses is headed to the screen. Tynion and his production company Tiny Onion have signed a first-look deal with Blumhouse Atomic, the horror company run by Jason Blum and James Wan, and the first project under the deal is an adaptation of the Image Comics series. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news last week, and Image shared it yesterday. Check out the official post down below:
Blumhouse is joining Tiny Onion and Lyrical Media on Exquisite Corpses, which is being developed across both film and animation. No writer, director or cast has been announced yet.
The deal grew out of a project the 2 companies already share. Blumhouse Atomic and Tiny Onion are working on a live-action Something Is Killing the Children movie, with Craig Zobel recently signing on to direct. That film is expected to go into production next year, and an adult animated Something Is Killing the Children series, with Tynion leading it, is also in the works.
What Blum And Tynion Said
"James has been a valued partner on Something Is Killing The Children, which is why we wanted to expand our relationship. He has great storytelling instincts with a passion for the horror genre," said Blum, the CEO and co-founder of Blumhouse Atomic. "As we look to develop more IP, this felt like a great fit, and we're happy to take the next step with him and Tiny Onion."
Tynion said, "From the moment I first stepped into the Blumhouse offices, it felt like coming home. Every person in that building, and every filmmaker on their roster is dedicated to making great horror, and I'm thrilled to stand by their side and help bring these terrifying stories to life."
The Story Of Exquisite Corpses
Tynion created Exquisite Corpses with artist Michael Walsh. Every 5 years on Halloween, the 13 oldest and richest families in America play a game of control in a deadly Battle Royale. Each family recruits a champion killer, the killers descend on an unsuspecting town, and they fight until the last one standing decides the winner.
The first issue arrived on May 14, 2025, as a 64-page, $4.99 premiere set in Oak Valley, Maine. The 13-issue main series wrapped earlier this year and followed the townspeople trying to survive the night while killers with names like Lone Gunman, Fox Mask Killer, Pretty Boy, Rascal Randy and Lady Carolina moved through their town.
Image built the series as a rotating creator event. Tynion and Walsh led a group of other creators who collaborated and competed across 13 chapters to decide which killers lived and which died, with Jordie Bellaire also credited on the triple-sized debut. That first issue went back for a 4th printing on October 1, 2025, and the main story is collected in 3 trade paperbacks released on September 17, 2025, March 25, 2026, and August 19, 2026.
The comic has sold more than 1 million copies in its first 18 months at Image. It now has 3 spin-off series built around individual killers, Fox Mask Killer, Lone Gunman and Rascal Randy. Fox Mask Killer runs 5 issues and ends on March 3, 2027, and Image has Exquisite Corpses: Book of the Dead on its schedule for January 27, 2027. A second main miniseries with new killers is planned for next year.
Tiny Onion And The Blumhouse Atomic Slate
Tynion, whose other comics include The Department of Truth and The Nice House on the Lake, created Tiny Onion in 2024 to take more control over screen adaptations of his growing list of properties. With an investment from Lyrical Media, the company develops new IP and publishes comics and graphic novels through partners including Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics and Penguin Random House. Tynion's short film and one-shot comic Room Service is also in development.
Blumhouse Atomic, formed when the companies run by Blum and Wan merged, has 9 movies set for 2027. The slate opens with The River on January 15 and also includes The Exorcist: Martyrs, Curry Barker's Anything But Ghosts and Drew Hancock's Seasons.
Would you rather see Exquisite Corpses as a live-action slasher movie or an animated series, and which killer should get the spotlight first?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.