EXCLUSIVE: Fright Night and Child’s Play helmer Tom Holland will next direct the horror film Rock Paper Dead. He will be joined by a respected team of talent from that genre that includes Emmy-nominated Vincent Guastini (Requiem For A Dream), who will provide special makeup effects; the film’s co-writer Victor Miller (Friday The 13th); and composer Harry Manfredini (Friday The 13th). The film will start production next month for a 2017 release. There also will be a major merchandising push with Halloween masks designed by Guastini.

The film is about Peter Harris, aka “The Doll Maker,” a serial killer who returns to his ancestral family estate after being released from the state hospital for the criminally insane after 20 years – a “cured” man. Once inside the old house, anguished memories from a tortured childhood and visitations from past victims shake Peter’s resolve, but it isn’t until the lovely young Ashley enters his life that Peter makes a fateful decision, one that rekindles old desires that always have ended in murder.

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Writer-director Holland’s other credits include numerous Stephen King adaptations including Thinner and The Langoliers as well as several episodes of Tales From The Crypt and Masters Of Horror. He also wrote Psycho II. Rock Paper Dead will be produced by Amy Williams (Mothers And Daughters), Miller and Kerry Fleming (who co-wrote the project).

Guastini, a co-producer on the film, will provide the special makeup effects, including a line of serial killer-inspired dolls and masks based on the film. The dolls will be from the the Doll Maker’s collection of victim dolls and represent each of the victims shown in the film. He also will create death masks that will be seen in the movie.

The items will then be part of a line of film-inspired merchandise items that will be available in stores around the time of the film’s expected release in theaters right before Halloween 2017.

Guastini trained under legendary Hollywood makeup artist Dick Smith. His credits include The Last Of The Mohicans and Saturday Night Live, for which he received an Emmy nomination.