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JD Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, the producers of Barbarian’s chilling success, are leaving Warner Bros.’ New Line to start a new chapter at Paramount Pictures. Their goal: to create a new genre-focused label dedicated to bold, high-concept films. It’s a strong strategic shift, both for them and for Paramount.
A genre label anchored at Paramount
The new label, whose name hasn’t been revealed yet, will be led directly by Lifshitz and Margules. Their mission is clear: develop, produce, and release genre films with high-concept premises, those ideas that immediately spark curiosity or unease with just a few words. In a crowded cinematic landscape, these are the films that stand out — and often linger in viewers’ minds.
What’s particularly interesting is that the producers may go beyond creative oversight. They could also act as equity co-financiers, meaning they’ll have some skin in the game on the business side too. It’s not just about producing films they believe in, but taking risks with them as well.
As someone who loved the audacity of Barbarian — both in its narrative structure and its ability to genuinely surprise — I can’t help but get excited about what could come next with this kind of freedom. To read Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton face off in 2026’s Apex trailer
From New Line to Paramount: a smooth transition
Before fully moving to Paramount, Lifshitz and Margules will honor their current deal at Warner Bros.’ New Line via their production company BoulderLight Pictures. That deal wraps up in January, and includes the release of projects like Companion and Weapons.
Weapons, in particular, has been a financial standout, earning $260 million worldwide. A significant result for a horror film, and a clear testament to their ability to connect with a wide audience while staying true to genre roots.
At New Line, they helped revitalize horror with a sensibility that’s both nostalgic and modern, raw and cinematic. Their departure doesn’t feel like a goodbye to horror, but rather a leap toward creating a more focused ecosystem for it, under a major studio that’s clearly betting big on the genre’s enduring appeal in theaters.
Paramount’s new momentum
Their arrival at Paramount isn’t happening in isolation. It comes as part of a broader, ambitious wave of expansion driven by David Ellison.
In recent months, Paramount has made big moves: To read Ranking Shyamalan’s Hits: Which Film Defines His Legacy?
- A deal with Activision to develop a Call of Duty film franchise
- A reported $7.7 billion acquisition for UFC rights
- An exclusive multi-year partnership with the Duffer brothers, creators of Stranger Things
- A first-look deal signed with Will Smith
This strategy shows Paramount isn’t just reacting — it’s planning for long-term relevance. Pairing genre innovators like Lifshitz and Margules with this kind of momentum makes total sense.
A track record that speaks for itself
Before Barbarian, Lifshitz and Margules were building momentum with smaller but potent films like Becky and The Vigil — tightly structured survival tales and intense supernatural horrors that felt made for dark, crowded theaters. You could already see their commitment to “premium pulp” as Paramount’s execs later phrased it: stories that are thrilling, fast-paced, and never lacking in personality.
Their more recent work includes the unsettling Woman of the Hour, picked up by Netflix, and Friendship, produced for A24. In other words, they don’t just work for major franchises or prestige studios. They adapt, and always find ways to leave their mark.
If you’ve followed their career, this move to Paramount feels earned — almost inevitable. And if Paramount truly gives them the space to experiment, we might be looking at the beginnings of a new golden age for elevated genre films in mainstream cinemas.
An appetite for theatrical experiences
For Lifshitz and Margules, one element seems to remain non-negotiable: the theater experience. In their first comments after the announcement, they made their love for the big screen clear, emphasizing their alignment with Paramount’s push for theatrical releases.
As someone who still believes horror is made for theaters — for that shared silence before the shock, or those audible gasps when a twist lands — I completely understand. It’s a genre built on atmosphere, reaction, immersion. And that gets amplified tenfold in a crowd.
This new chapter is promising, not just for the duo, but for anyone who still wants to be surprised, disturbed, and captivated in a dark cinema. If they hold onto their craft and instincts, something powerful may be brewing at Paramount.
