EXCLUSIVE: The producer of The Mandela Catalogue reveals fresh insights about the forthcoming horror adaptation.

      After the box-office triumph of A24's Backrooms, Hollywood has shifted its focus to another analog horror sensation. On July 2, Deadline reported that producers Aaron B. Koontz (Shelby Oaks) and Steven Spielberg are working on a film adaptation of the viral YouTube horror series, The Mandela Catalogue.

      Alex Kister, the series creator, will direct the film, with the screenplay penned by Tyler Clifton. Kister described the film as following a group of high school graduates who "struggle to maintain their grip on reality after the disappearance of a local student triggers a series of unexplainable and unsettling events."

      Similar to Backrooms, the movie will fuse traditional live-action with found-footage techniques. Koontz and Spielberg are collaborating on this project alongside United Artists and Amazon MGM Studios, reflecting Hollywood's increasing confidence in YouTube horror creators following the widespread success of Backrooms and Curry Barker's Obsession.

      In an interview with Digital Trends, Koontz shared his journey into production and what audiences might expect from the upcoming horror series.

      This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.

      Digital Trends: What initially drew you to produce this film?

      Koontz: My journey began with Shelby Oaks. For that film, we devised an ARG without even knowing what an ARG was.

      Along with Chris Stuckmann, we aspired to create marketing similar to Blair Witch…this led me into a deep exploration of ARGs and immersive horror. I was captivated by the storytelling, the restraint, the dread, the atmosphere, and the tone.

      It was truly amazing, and I compiled a list of series I found intriguing and reached out. It turned out that Alex and Tyler had already contacted me, so it was a unique situation where they were searching for a producer.

      We then spent several months developing the script, which was already quite strong thanks to Alex and Tyler. Afterward, we presented it to the market, leading to a bidding war, and what’s public is now out there.

      Digital Trends: You mentioned reviewing various horror series. What was it about The Mandela Catalogue that distinguished it for you? Why did you choose this specific one?

      Koontz: It got under my skin immediately. That was the first thing—it was truly unnerving.

      I’m not easily scared, and I often do a "girlfriend test" where I show my partner various films we create. She usually reacts positively, but when I showed her The Mandela Catalogue, she said, "Turn this off!" I thought, “Okay, this is definitely distinct.”

      Digital Trends: Can you share how the film will differ from the YouTube series?

      Koontz: I don’t want to go into too much detail at this time. However, you will recognize The Mandela Catalogue; it won’t feel drastically different in that sense. But there are ways in which we are presenting this for theaters.

      The experience will be different, and if you look at how Kane [Parsons] adapted Backrooms, there were smart decisions made there that I believe parallel some of the good choices we’ve made here.

      Digital Trends: It’s interesting you mentioned Kane Parsons and Backrooms, as the news of The Mandela Catalogue comes on the heels of Backrooms and Obsession’s considerable box office success. Did those films influence your choice to work on this project?

      Koontz: No, not at all. I was already engaged in this film prior to any of that. I saw Obsession at TIFF and recognized Curry [Barker] as a filmmaker, which drew me to see Obsession. But I didn’t think of it as a YouTuber thing.

      To me, they simply came from YouTube, similar to how I took a camera as a child and filmed in my backyard. This is just their version of the backyard for a wider audience.

      It’s an incredibly exciting time, and I’m thrilled to be part of what I believe is a revolution—because it truly is.

      Digital Trends: When can we expect to see The Mandela Catalogue? Will it be in theaters, on streaming, or is that still undecided?

      Koontz: More information on that will emerge in the coming months. I often defer to my partners. You can even ask Spielberg—that sounds so strange to say.

      I believe it’s a film made for theaters. During our deal-making and the bidding process, we clearly outlined that this is a theatrical film. Our partners, including Scott Stubert, Nick Nesbitt, and everyone at United Artists and Amazon, have been fantastic and truly understand this vision.

      Digital Trends: Is there anything else you’d like to share with the fans?

      Koontz: If anyone is concerned about Alex's vision getting compromised, that was paramount for us. There was never any discussion about anyone else directing it.

      When Alex and I first connected, I made it clear: “It has to be you.” The reason is that I am a