Jealous People Are Ugly People

Jealous People Are Ugly People marks Greek/British filmmaker Theo James Krekis' feature directorial debut, adapting his own 10-minute short commissioned by the BBC that premiered at SXSW's Midnight Madness in 2026. New Line Cinema secured the project following a competitive bidding war involving at least ten parties. Krekis will write and direct, with Temple Hill Entertainment producing alongside The Fold's Jennifer Monks and Michelle Stein. The short follows Vasilly, consumed by jealousy when his best friend lands a career-making graphic design job while he remains stuck in a dead-end laboring role. Temple Hill's Isaac Klausner, John Fischer, Ben Levine, and Ethan Cappello will oversee the production, with Josh Mack and Lauren Botchan supervising for New Line. The acquisition reflects studios' appetite for elevated horror from emerging voices following recent genre breakouts.