Cineverse Buys Horror-Comedy ‘Portal to Hell’

Cineverse and its horror division Bloody Disgusting have acquired U.S. VOD and streaming rights to “Portal to Hell,” the Slamdance and Frightfest debut feature from Woody Bess. A limited theatrical rollout is expected ahead of Cineverse’s digital release this summer.

Trey Holland (“The Diabolical”), Romina D’Ugo (“12 Monkeys”), Keith David (“The Thing”), and Richard Kind (“Spin City,”) star in the indie horror-comedy. “Portal to Hell” follows “Dunn (Holland), a debt collector who lives a life of routine until a portal opens in his local laundromat, followed by a demon (Kind) sent to drag his neighbor, Mr. Bobshank (David), to hell for an unpaid debt. Helping people settle their debts is Dunn’s specialty, but when the demon offers a sinister deal — three souls in exchange for Bobshank’s freedom — he refuses.

The film is written and directed by Bess (who also wrote the 2024 Blacklist script “Total Landscaping.” Producing the film is Holland, Lucas Ford and Tom Watts. Little Shadows serves as the production company in association with Hello Moon, Ford Films, This is Swington, Dalmatian Cow, and Baked Studios. Executive Producers include David, Dionne Lea Williams, Matthew Dean Russell and George A Loucas.

Michael McDonald, Casey Deidrick, Trevor Newlin, Ryan Follesé, Kevin Fonteyne, and Monet Weir round out the cast.

“We’re excited to bring ‘Portal to Hell’ to Cineverse and work with the passionate group of genre folks over there to release the film. Their reach and partnership felt like a good home to bring our film to a larger audience” the filmmakers said in a statement.

The deal was negotiated by Raven Banner’s Cecilia Brush and Michael Paszt and Dan Fisher, vice president of acquisitions at Cineverse. Raven Banner reps worldwide rights and will continue to sell available territories at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. Other deals for the title include Lighthouse (Germany) and 9th Planet (Poland).

“Portal to Hell is exactly the kind of sharp, wildly entertaining genre film that Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting audiences respond to — inventive, funny, and genuinely horror-forward, with a terrific cast led by Keith David and Richard Kind,” said Fisher.

Here’s a look at the theaters that will be showing “Portal to Hell.”

Paradise – Toronto, ON – July 9th, 2026
Laurelhurst Theater – Portland, OR – July 24th + July 25th, 2026
Screenland Amour – Kansas City – July 31st, 2026
The Palace Eastwood – Syracuse, NY – July TBD
Rio Theater – Vancouver, BC – August TBD
Cinema Art Theater – Rehoboth Beach, DE – August 8th, 2026
The Independent – Huntsville, AL – August 21st, 2026
Chase Park Plaza Cinema – St. Louis, MO – August TBD
Bama Theatre – Tuscaloosa, AL – August TBD
Shoals Theatre – Florence, AL – September 5th, 2026
Darkside Cinema, Corvallis, OR – September TBD
Rodeo Cinema – Oklahoma City, OK – October TBD
Lumiere Cinema – Beverly Hills, CA – September TBD