The Horror Game: Ella Balinska to star in action horror film from Wolf Creek creator Greg McLean

There’s a new Wolf Creek movie coming our way, with Wolf Creek: Legacy aiming for a fall 2026 release… but franchise creator Greg McLean isn’t going to be writing or directing that one. While he remains on board the project as producer, he handed the writing duties over to Duncan Samarasinghe and chose Sean Lahiff, who was editor on Wolf Creek 2, to direct the film. While Lahiff focuses on bringing Wolf Creek: Legacy to the screen, McLean has set up another project: he’ll be directing the meta action horror film The Horror Game, and Variety reports that Ella Balinska of the Netflix Resident Evil series has signed on to star in it.

Scripted by Gus Krieger (Would You Rather), The Horror Game has the following synopsis: While desperate to find her missing sister, a young woman (Balinska) and her three best friends find themselves trapped inside a virtual reality game where every level forces its players to survive a different genre of a horror movie. When they learn that dying in the game means dying in real life, the friends are forced to hack, slash and battle their way to the toxic mastermind behind it all.

McLean had this to say about the casting of Ella Balinska: “I’m thrilled to welcome the wonderful Ella Balinska to lead the cast of The Horror Game. Ella radiates the intelligence, prowess, and charisma necessary for our resilient protagonist Gemma, and our team couldn’t be happier to join with her in bringing this scary, fun, and truly wild horror movie to life.“

The film is being produced by Tyler Condon of CinemaWays, alongside Matthew Shreder of Concourse Media, who is presenting the project to potential distributors at the European Film Market this week. Condon provided the following statement: “With recent hits like Talk to Me, Longlegs, and the Smile franchise, proving that genre-savvy, high-concept scares resonate in the current marketplace. The Horror Game taps into this demand with its unique premise — calling back to every horror sub-genre. It’s a love letter to horror fans and a high-energy, genre-blending ride that delivers exactly what audiences are craving right now.“

Does The Horror Game sound interesting to you? Share your thoughts on this Greg McLean / Ella Balinska project by leaving a comment below.