Joe Roth to Produce Feature Adaptation of Viral Horror Game ‘Scary Teacher,’ Deadline Reports

A viral horror video game franchise called Scary Teacher is moving toward a feature film adaptation, Deadline reported on August 12, 2026. The outlet said Hollywood studio veteran Joe Roth, a former Fox and Disney chairman, is partnering with his producing partner Jeff Kirschenbaum to develop the project with writers Cory Todd Hughes and Adrian Speckert.

Deadline reported that the film development partnership is centered on Scary Teacher, a digital horror game created by Z and K Games. The franchise gained attention online, and Deadline described it as a “hit franchise” with “billions of views,” though specific view counts, dates, or platform breakdowns were not included in the report.

According to Deadline, Roth and Kirschenbaum will produce the feature, while Hughes and Speckert are attached to the writing effort. The report did not provide information on which studio is financing or distributing the film, nor did it announce casting, release dates, or a production timeline.

The Scary Teacher project reflects a broader trend of companies translating top-performing online entertainment into theatrical or premium-screen formats. Deadline’s report framed the initiative as an adaptation of the game franchise rather than an original story, suggesting the film would draw from the existing horror-game premise and recognizable elements tied to the franchise’s established audience.

Public-facing details about the adaptation remain limited. Deadline did not specify whether the creative team will follow the game’s narrative structure scene-by-scene, or whether the writers will adapt the concept for a feature-length format with a new or expanded storyline. No information was provided on whether the original creators or platform partners will have approval rights or creative input beyond the adaptation agreement.

The development also raises practical questions that are typically clarified as film deals progress, including the scope of the script development, the degree of brand usage for the franchise’s recognizable design elements, and the production schedule once a studio, distributor, and casting plan are confirmed.

For fans who encountered Scary Teacher on video platforms, any film version will likely be judged against the franchise’s online identity. However, as of the Deadline report, there are no confirmed details on how the adaptation will translate the game’s interactive or episodic feel into a linear cinematic format.

The next steps in the process, based on how such adaptations generally proceed, would include script finalization, securing a financing and distribution plan, and confirming production dates. Until additional announcements are made, the only confirmed items are the attachment of Roth and Kirschenbaum as producers and Hughes and Speckert as writers for the feature adaptation, as reported by Deadline.