Clown in a Cornfield Author Adam Cesare’s Cosmic Horror Comic Dead Mall Optioned by Not The Funeral Home
Independent film production company Not The Funeral Home (NTFH) has optioned the film rights to Dead Mall, the four-issue Dark Horse Comics series written by Bram Stoker Award–winning horror author Adam Cesare (Clown in a Cornfield) and illustrated by David Stoll. Screenwriter Michael Varrati (The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, Fangoria Chainsaw Awards) is attached to adapt the project, drawing from Cesare’s original story notes that include previously unseen material.
“Dead Mall is like ‘Event Horizon’ and ‘Hellraiser’ in a mall – we are excited to work with Adam on this project,” says Matt Manjourides, co-founder of Not The Funeral Home alongside Justin Martell. The company created and produced The Last Drive In with Joe Bob Briggs on Shudder and AMC+ (“here to shake things up” – The New York Times), as well as movies like Street Trash (“Melted Gonzo Goodness” – Variety), Black Eyed Susan (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), and Shudder exclusives The Puppetman, Eight Eyes, Castle Freak and Night of the Reaper. (“entertaining throwback” – The New York Times).
Dead Mall follows five teens who sneak into their local mall for one last look before it’s demolished only to discover the mall is far from abandoned. Inside the crumbling retail labyrinth, they encounter a sprawling, ever-changing cosmic horror that has made the mall its home, transforming the familiar consumer temple into a nightmarish maze where survival is anything but guaranteed.
Cesare is widely known for his acclaimed Clown in a Cornfield novel series, which has become one of the most recognizable modern horror franchises and was also adapted for film. His work blends high-concept horror with sharp character-driven storytelling, making Dead Mall a natural fit for cinematic adaptation.
Not The Funeral Home plans to develop the property as a feature film adaptation, bringing Cesare’s surreal retail nightmare to the screen. The film adaptation will expand the terrifying premise of the comic while retaining the claustrophobic, otherworldly horror that made the series a cult favorite among genre fans.
