Whigham's team is positioning this as a major career leap—joining an icon like Bacon under the banner of Amazon MGM, with a genre master making his directorial debut.
The internet is already speculating about what 'Summoner' will unleash, especially since Slater's past work on 'Umbrella Academy' hints at dark twists and high stakes.
As reported exclusively by The Hollywood Reporter on August 6, 2026: Giorgia Whigham joins Kevin Bacon in the Amazon MGM horror thriller 'Summoner,' with Jeremy Slater directing his first feature after writing 'Mortal Kombat II' and 'The Umbrella Academy.'
This is a smart bet on fresh talent—both in front of and behind the camera—that could make 'Summoner' one to watch.
Giorgia Whigham has officially signed on to star alongside Kevin Bacon in Amazon MGM's upcoming horror thriller 'Summoner,' The Hollywood Reporter confirmed exclusively. The announcement, which broke on August 6, 2026, marks a significant addition to the project that already had genre fans buzzing—but it's who's behind the camera that might be the real headline. Jeremy Slater, the longtime writer known for 'Mortal Kombat II' and Netflix's 'The Umbrella Academy,' is stepping into the director's chair for his feature debut.
That's a big deal for anyone who's followed his work: Slater has spent years crafting some of the most inventive genre storytelling on screen, and now he gets to call the shots himself. With Whigham joining Bacon—a horror veteran with 'Tremors' and 'You Should Have Left' in his filmography—the project suddenly looks like a serious contender for cult status. Details about the plot remain tightly under wraps, which is typical for this stage of development.
But what we do know is that Amazon MGM has greenlit the feature, signaling confidence in Slater's vision and Whigham's rising star power. Whigham, who broke out with roles like Cindy on '13 Reasons Why' and most recently appeared in 'The Orville,' has been steadily building a resume of genre-friendly parts—making this pairing feel less like a coincidence and more like a deliberate move. For Slater, the leap from writer to director is always risky, but his pedigree suggests he's ready.
His work on 'Umbrella Academy' proved he can handle complex character dynamics with a supernatural twist, while 'Mortal Kombat II' showed he knows how to deliver big-budget thrills. If 'Summoner' taps into that same energy, this could be the kind of breakout horror film that gets talked about long after the credits roll. No release date has been announced yet, and there's no word on additional casting or when production will begin. But one thing is certain: with Whigham and Bacon leading the charge under Slater's direction, 'Summoner' just became a must-watch for anyone who likes their horror with a side of serious talent.
