THE APEX TIMES
Saban Films Acquires North American Rights to Haunted House Horror ‘The Caged’
The horror film, inspired by true events, features Tamzin Merchant, Edmund Kingsley and Raffiella Chapman, with newcomer Callen Carter in the cast.
Saban Films has acquired the North American rights to the UK haunted house horror film The Caged, according to an exclusive report by Deadline published August 3, 2026. The acquisition brings the Jeffrey Scott Collins-directed project to a new distribution channel for U.S. and Canadian audiences.
Deadline reports that The Caged stars Tamzin Merchant, known for Carnival Row, along with Edmund Kingsley of Dirty Angels and Raffiella Chapman, who appeared in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The film also includes newcomer Callen Carter in a role, as described in the report.
The story is framed as being inspired by true events. In the film’s premise, a family moves into a new home and soon finds itself terrorized by a dark presence connected to the property, with the threat escalating after the relocation.
The North American-rights deal is positioned as part of Saban Films’ broader slate development in genre feature films, where distribution rights typically determine how and where movies reach theaters, digital platforms, and home entertainment markets. The Deadline report does not provide a release date or specific rollout plan as part of the announcement.
For the cast, the project adds to a range of credits that span fantasy, action and literary adaptations. Merchant’s participation continues a pattern of genre work, while Chapman’s inclusion links the film to audiences familiar with her earlier work in high-concept supernatural storytelling. Kingsley’s role similarly indicates a presence in thriller-adjacent material.
Deadline characterizes The Caged as a haunted house horror production, a genre that often draws audiences interested in suspense and atmospheric dread, and which can also carry production and marketing expectations around practical scares, creature or presence effects, and content ratings considerations.
Because the report centers on the rights acquisition, details such as exact character names, running time, production completion status, and the timing of any public marketing campaign were not included in the available information. Additional steps after a rights acquisition generally include final delivery checks, rating submissions, and setting a distribution calendar, but those specifics were not provided in the Deadline item.
The acquisition also underscores how UK productions can move quickly into broader international markets once distributors secure regional rights. For viewers and exhibitors, the next concrete milestone will be the announcement of a release date and the availability of trailers or additional materials through Saban Films once distribution logistics are finalized.
Why It Matters
- The rights acquisition determines how U.S. and Canadian audiences will gain access to the film, through Saban Films’ distribution strategy.
- The cast lineup, including Merchant, Kingsley and Chapman, may shape marketing and audience interest in a genre release.
- Because the film is presented as being inspired by true events, the distributor’s messaging and rating outcomes can influence the size and composition of the potential audience.
- A next step after rights deals is typically the timing of release announcements and additional promotional assets, which were not included in the initial report.
Key Facts
- Saban Films acquired North American rights to the UK haunted house horror film The Caged, per Deadline.
- The film is described as being inspired by true events, and it follows a family terrorized by a dark presence after moving into a house.
- The Caged stars Tamzin Merchant, Edmund Kingsley and Raffiella Chapman.
- Callen Carter, described as a newcomer, is also part of the cast.
- The project is associated with Jeffrey Scott Collins, as referenced in the Deadline report.