David Dastmalchian & Ashley Greene’s New Horror ‘The Cure’ Finds a Home at Vertical, Releasing 2026

Vertical has snapped up U.S. rights to the chilling sci-fi horror thriller The Cure, set to hit select theaters and VOD in 2026.

The film follows Ally Braun (Samantha Cochran, V/H/S/Halloween), a 16-year-old adoptee plagued by a mysterious illness. When she discovers her wealthy biotech parents (David Dastmalchian, Late Night with the Devil, and Ashley Greene, Twilight) are harvesting her blood for their own dark experiments, she realizes her life—and body—are anything but her own.

Directed by Nancy Leopardi from a script by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer (Unsane), The Cure also stars Sydney Taylor (American Born Chinese), Tyler Lawrence Gray (Wolfpack), and Dylan Flashner (The Card Counter).

Leopardi, who produces alongside Bo Youngblood, John Ierardi, and Natalie Marciano, describes the film as “a satirical take on the modern billionaire class cloaked in a crowd-pleasing thriller.” She adds, “The Cure follows in the footsteps of Ex Machina, A.I., and Videodrome, exploring how advances in bio-technology can be twisted for power—and who ultimately pays the price.”

Represented internationally by Vaneast Pictures at the American Film Market, The Cure promises a brutal fusion of sci-fi, horror, and societal terror—a story where blood is currency and betrayal runs deep.

Prepare for a world where your own family might be your deadliest enemy.