The Dark Horse comic book series “Dead Maul,” from Adam Cesare, author of “The Clown in the Cornfield,” is coming to the big screen.
Production company Not the Funeral Home has optioned Cesare and artist David Stoll’s four-issue series into a feature film, Variety has confirmed. Screenwriter Michael Valati (“The Boulet Brothers,” “Fangoria Chainsaw Award”) will work on the script. In addition to the original story, Varatti will draw “from Cesare’s original story notes, including previously unpublished material,” according to a press release.
According to the official synopsis: “‘Dead Mall’ follows five teens who sneak into their local shopping mall for one last look before it is demolished, only to discover that the mall is far from abandoned. In a maze of crumbling retail stores, they encounter a vast and ever-changing cosmic horror that has made the mall its home.
Transforming the familiar consumer temple into a nightmarish maze where survival is everything
But guaranteed. ”
“‘Dead Mall’ is like the ‘Event Horizon’ or ‘Hellraiser’ of shopping malls. We’re thrilled to be working with Adam.”
Please support this project,” said Matt Manjourides, co-founder of Not The Funeral Home with Justin Martell, in a statement.
The company has previously created and produced “The Last Drive In With Joe Bob Briggs” series, as well as films such as “Street Trash,” “Black Eyed Susan,” and several Shudder original films, including “The Puppetman,” “Eight Eyes,” “Castle Freak” and “Night of the Reaper.”
Cesare is best known for his novels, The Cornfield Jester, the first of which was made into a film by director Eli Craig in 2025.
Adam Cesare
mike robbins
