Emma Thompson's new film, 'Dead of Winter,' makes its debut, with producers Augenschein discussing the lineup of star-driven projects. This lineup includes films featuring Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, and Ethan Hawke - an exclusive reveal.
After a strategic shift towards director-driven, star-led elevated genre films in English, production company Augenschein is gearing up for an exciting 2026 with two larger-scale projects moving towards production. These projects, expected to enter production in Q1 or Q2 of 2026, involve a "top tier" U.S. distributor and a "really big cast" for one, while the other features a "top tier" cast as well.
The company is also developing additional projects with filmmakers McKinley, Gerster, and Vollrath.
Prominent Projects on the Horizon
One of the anticipated films is "The Weight," produced by Simon Fields and Nathan Fields for Fields Entertainment, Ryan Hawke for Under the Influence, and Katzenstein and Leo at Augenschein. The period epic stars Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe.
Another film on Augenschein's slate is "The Hive," an action thriller directed by Martin Rosete. The film stars Franka Potente and Sophie Cookson and is set in Germany and the Canaries.
Current Productions and Releases
Augenschein's recent release, The Dead of Winter, starring Emma Thompson, exemplifies this new focus. The film premiered at Locarno Film Festival, marking Augenschein's transformation from foreign-language arthouse films to English-language, star-driven thrillers. Emma Thompson will be honored at the Locarno Film Festival, and "Dead of Winter" will have its world premiere.
"Dead of Winter" centers on a widowed fisherwoman who interrupts a kidnapping and becomes the teenage girl's only hope. Most of the worldwide rights for "Dead of Winter" have been pre-sold, including North America, which was picked up by Vertical. Leonine holds German rights for the film.
Shelved Projects and Challenges
Earlier projects like Justin Kurzel's sci-fi film Morning, which would have starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Laura Dern, have been shelved. Katzenstein believes the current difficulty in the market is due to the streamers not paying as high prices as before, leading to less backing in all countries and a decline in presales.
Despite these challenges, Augenschein continues to strengthen its relationships with U.S. talent agencies, enhancing its reputation as a reliable international partner for combining European funding and production expertise. The company has a reputation as a reliable partner and can combine European funding money with physical production knowledge and financing abilities.
The Future Looks Bright
Katzenstein and Leo, the founders of Augenschein, suspect film titles act as an "omen" to suggest how the film's financing and production are going to pan out. With two larger-scale projects moving forward in Q1 or Q2 next year and other director-driven films under development, 2026 looks optimistic for Augenschein. Leo says that the company has chosen projects more carefully and it is looking very optimistic going into next year.
In addition to "The Weight" and "The Hive," Augenschein is producing "Mother Mary" with Sailor Bear, A24, and Homebird Productions. The epic pop melodrama, directed by David Lowery, stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel.
A horror movie with the working title "Bloody Tennis" is in post-production. Port au Prince Pictures is handling German distribution for the film, while WME Independent and CAA Media Finance co-represent domestic rights. North.Five.Six represents international rights for "Dead of Winter," while CAA Media Finance handles North American rights.
Augenschein, the production company behind "Dead of Winter," has a focus on English-language, director-driven, star-led, elevated genre fare. Katzenstein jokes that some agents have a speed dial for Augenschein to save projects.
"The Weight" is directed by Padraic McKinley and set in Oregon in 1933. "Bloody Tennis" is directed by Nikias Chryssos and stars Sandra Guldberg Kampp, Elina Loewensohn, Zlatko Burić, Lucie Zhang, and Helena Zengel.
As Augenschein prepares to launch "Bloody Tennis" at a genre festival in the fall, it's clear that the company is committed to delivering high-quality, engaging films for audiences worldwide.
- Augenschein's slate for 2026 includes two large-scale projects, one featuring a "really big cast" and another with a "top tier" cast, both aiming to provide an entertaining blend of movies-and-tv and pop-culture.
- In addition to the anticipated projects, Augenschein is also producing "Mother Mary," an epic pop melodrama, starring celebrities Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, furthering their involvement in entertainment and pop-culture.
