The upcoming meta horror comedy HORRIFIED has officially secured its lead cast, with Julie Benz (Dexter), Busy Philipps (Mean Girls), Ron Perlman (Hellboy), and Jim Rash (Community) set to headline the film. Written and directed by Mike Zara, HORRIFIED explores the intersection of horror legacy and fandom culture with a slasher twist.

Benz stars as a former scream queen who returns to the horror convention scene in search of a paycheck. What begins as a nostalgic cash grab quickly spirals into survival, as a pig-masked killer — inspired by her cult film franchise — targets her inner circle and convention attendees. The story unfolds into a violent confrontation that forces her to face both literal and figurative demons.

The production is being led by Randy Wayne and Talia Bella of Rebellium Films, Michael Zara through Ghost Bunni, and the arts charity Art of Elysium. Additional production support comes from EB Studios and Daniel Hall, with executive producers including Benz, Philipps, Perlman, and Tom Biolchini. Carl Reid and Enrico Natale of Redbird Entertainment serve as co-producers.

The film’s cinematography will be handled by Adam Biddle (Crank), and casting is by Helen Geier and Kendra Shay Clark of Clark+Geier Casting.

“At its core, HORRIFIED is my love letter to the horror genre — a fun, self-aware tribute to everything we as fans love about the macabre on screen,” says writer-director Mike Zara. “It also takes a sharp, affectionate look at horror fandom itself — the passion, the quirks, and the chaos — all wrapped in a bloody, bubblegum-coated package with themes that hopefully cut a little deeper beneath the gloss.”

Production details and release date are forthcoming.