EXCLUSIVE: Tara Reid (American Pie) and Johnny Pemberton (Fallout) are attached to star in the independent horror feature Scissor Mouth.
Produced by 1905 Films and written and directed by Deborah Richards, Scissor Mouth is described as “a contemporary Southern Gothic horror inspired by an ancient Japanese folktale, using horror to explore society’s obsession with beauty”.
Set in the early 1980s, Scissor Mouth follows a teenage girl who escapes years of captivity at the hands of her beauty-obsessed mother, leaving a bloody trail of delay “makeovers’ across rural West Texas. The project is slated to shoot in New Mexico in 2027 with Patrick Wirtz producing.
The screenplay placed second in the horror category at the 2025 Slamdance Screenplay Competition, winning Filmmatic’s Horror/Thriller Screenplay Awards, and selected for the 2026 Grey List.
“Scissor Mouth is my response to the impossible standards of beauty and the scars they leave behind,” Richards explained. “I wrote Johnny Pemberton’s role with him in mind from the very beginning because I knew his unique blend of humor and heart was exactly what the character needed, while Tara Reid embodies the perfect mix of charm, unpredictability, and humanity for this world. I can’t wait to watch them make these characters their own.”
Producer Patrick Wirtz added: “We have a provocative, fearless script that speaks directly to the world we’re living in today. It’s the kind of horror that gets under your skin and stays with you. I believe it has all the ingredients to become a cult classic that audiences will want to watch, and rewatch, again and again.”
Reid is represented by Maverick Artists Agency and Wonder Street. Pemberton is represented by Independent Artist Group and Artists First. Richards is represented by Tammy Hunt at Sandstone Artists.
Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy.
Comments On Deadline Hollywood are monitored. So don't go off topic, don't impersonate anyone, and don't get your facts wrong.
Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );
