This is a powerhouse YA horror project reimagining the road trip genre with intense female rage and a mysterious hitchhiker.
Insiders say the casting is a strategic move to blend recent blockbuster stars with proven child-actor-to-adult talent for maximum buzz.
Deadline reported the exclusive on Oct 15, 2026. Producers Debbie Liebling and Joel David Moore previously worked together on 'Dodgeball' (2004).
If you like your horror with a side of Marvel pedigree and Avatar fame, 'Bad Influence' is about to become your new obsession.
The Hollywood casting couch is officially heating up for the YA horror crowd, and I have the receipts to prove it. Xochitl Gomez, Madeleine McGraw, and Jack Champion have been locked in for the upcoming film 'Bad Influence,' a project that Deadline exclusively reported is helmed by director Jason Perlman. This isn't just another teen slasher; the film is being pitched as a modern-day 'Thelma & Louise' fueled by female rage, following two friends on a spring break road trip who pick up a mysterious hitchhiker who is decidedly not what he seems.
Let’s talk about the trio because the pedigree here is undeniable. Xochitl Gomez, who recently conquered the ballroom floor by winning Season 32 of ABC’s 'Dancing with the Stars,' is bringing her Marvel chops from 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' to this gritty road trip. She’s also set to lend her voice to the upcoming Warner Bros. animated update of Dr.
Seuss’ 'The Cat in the Hat,' proving she’s everywhere you look right now. Meanwhile, Madeleine McGraw, who reprised her chilling role as Gwen Blake in 'The Black Phone 2,' is no stranger to horror or high-profile franchises, having appeared in 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' and 'Toy Story 4.' Then there’s Jack Champion, who is riding the massive wave of the 'Avatar' franchise as Spider. Champion isn’t resting on his laurels either; his next movie, 'Don’t Say Good Luck,' is slated to premiere on Netflix on August 14.
The casting of these three young stars suggests a deliberate effort to tap into multiple massive fanbases simultaneously. It’s a smart play by the producers, Debbie Liebling, Joel David Moore, and Zachary Burgess, to create a buzzworthy ensemble that spans superhero, horror, and sci-fi fandoms. The production team behind 'Bad Influence' has serious history in comedy and genre films.
Liebling and Moore previously collaborated on the cult classic 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story' in 2004 and 'Grandma’s Boy' in 2006. With a script by Brandon Cohen and sales handled by Capture, the film is already generating significant industry chatter. The executive producer list is equally extensive, including Steven Silverstein, Cathy Raduns, Raymond Merrill, Carmelo Chimera, Syed Ali Saeed, Denis Schoenhofer, Natalie Kline, and Jarod Einsohn. This is a project with teeth, and with 'female rage' as the central theme, I’m expecting this road trip to end in flames.
