Longlegs: Nicolas Cage and Osgood Perkins announce new film

After the acclaimed horror thriller "Longlegs" became one of the most successful independent films of recent years, director Osgood Perkins and actor Nicolas Cage are teaming up once again. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the two are working on a new film set in the "Longlegs" universe.

However, it is not intended to be a traditional sequel. Rather, the story will function as a standalone project set within the established universe. Paramount Pictures and Perkins are currently keeping the exact details of the plot and a release date under wraps. What is certain, however, is that Cage will once again take on the role of the titular character.

"Longlegs" became a massive box office hit in 2024, grossing $128 million worldwide – on a budget of less than $10 million. The plot centered on an FBI agent with psychic abilities (Maika Monroe) investigating a series of puzzling suicides. In the process, she also came face-to-face with a mysterious serial killer.

The Aesthetics of Fear: An Overview of Osgood Perkins' Films

Osgood "Oz" Perkins has established himself in recent years as one of the most distinctive voices in modern horror cinema. It's hard to overlook that the uncanny runs in his blood, as he is the son of the legendary Anthony Perkins, who made film history as Norman Bates in Psycho. Yet Perkins does not rely on his father's legacy; instead, he has developed a highly atmospheric visual language all his own. His films are characterized less by crude shock effects and more by a creeping tension and visual precision that draws the viewer deep into a world of unease.

The Beginnings and the Focus on Atmosphere

Perkins already made a strong statement with his directorial debut, "The Blackcoat's Daughter" (2015). The hallmarks of his style were already evident here: slow camera movements, a subdued color palette, and a narrative structure that keeps the viewer in the dark for a long time. In his second film, "I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House" (2016), he perfected this "slow-burn" horror approach. The film focuses almost exclusively on the psychological breakdown of a nurse in an old mansion and, through its poetic language, feels almost literary.

Fairy Tales, Myths, and the Big Break

With "Gretel & Hansel" in 2020, Perkins ventured into a reinterpretation of a classic tale by the Brothers Grimm, transforming it into a psychedelic nightmare filled with occult symbolism. He finally achieved his definitive breakthrough into the mainstream in 2024 with the mystery thriller "Longlegs". In this film, Perkins combines the cool aesthetics of a crime thriller with satanic horror.

Maika Monroe plays an FBI agent whose past is linked to an eccentric serial killer, portrayed by a barely recognizable Nicolas Cage. With a box office gross of $128 million, the film became the most successful independent title of the decade.

The Path Through 2025: "The Monkey" and "Keeper"

In 2025, Perkins solidified his position with two more significant projects. First, the Stephen King adaptation "The Monkey" was released in February. Perkins transformed the short story about a cursed toy monkey into a disturbing meditation on fate, blending the nostalgic horror of the 1980s with his modern eye for the macabre.

Finally, in November 2025, the psychological thriller "Keeper" followed. In this film, Tatiana Maslany takes on the lead role of a woman who, together with her partner, tends to a remote cabin. Here, isolation serves as a catalyst for the disintegration of reality. Perkins used the setting to create a dense folk horror atmosphere in which the boundaries between delusion and supernatural threat blur. Critics particularly praised Maslany's performance and Perkins' ability to build almost unbearable tension within a confined space.

The Future: Expansion of the "Longlegs" Universe

Now that Perkins has recently wrapped filming on "The Young People" (starring Nicole Kidman), the film world is looking forward to his latest project. In April 2026, it was announced that he is working with Paramount on a new project set in the same universe as "Longlegs". The fact that this is not a direct sequel but rather an expansion of the existing world speaks to Perkins' creative ambition to link his narratives more through atmosphere and theme.

With the announced return of Nicolas Cage, Perkins seems ready to bring his vision of horror to an even bigger stage. His films remain a challenge: they demand patience and attention to detail. Osgood Perkins has proven that modern horror can be intelligent, aesthetically sophisticated, and deeply unsettling all at once.