Legendary Digital Media has acquired “The Thinning,” a feature-length thriller starring Vine star Logan Paul and Disney Channel star Peyton List.
Paul and List have 26 million combined social media followers, one of the biggest social footprints of any digital film produced thus far. Paul has over 16 million followers including 8.7 million on Vine and 5.2 million on Facebook, and his videos have generated over 1 billion views in the past three months alone.
List, best known for the hit Disney Channel television series “Jessie,” has over 10 million followers across all of her social platforms. She currently stars in “Bunk’d,” a recent spin-off of “Jessie,” which ranked as the Disney Channel’s number one premiere of 2015.
“The Thinning” takes place in a dying world where population control is dictated by an aptitude test in high school. When two students discover the test is all smoke and mirrors hiding a larger conspiracy, they must go against the system to expose it and take it down.
Production will begin in November, and Legendary will distribute the film direct to consumers via digital sell-through and video on demand. This distribution model marks the first of its kind for Legendary Digital, which plans to produce and acquire rights to more digital films and series for direct to consumer distribution in 2016.
Michael Gallagher will direct from a script written by himself and Steve Greene. Gallagher, Greene and producing partner Jana Winternitz were the winners of Legendary’s House of Horrors short film program, a joint initiative launched with YouTube Spaces last year to identify emerging creative talent.
Gallagher and Winternitz will produce “The Thinning” alongside partner Michael Wormser through their Cinemand label along with content studio, Kids at Play. Kids at Play’s Amy Laslett and Jason Berger will also serve as executive producers.
Paul, List, Gallagher and Greene are represented by United Talent Agency. Paul is managed by the Collective, List is managed by Untitled Entertainment, and Gallagher is managed by Management 360. Kids at Play are repped by Principato Young Entertainment and UTA.