Ben Leonberg’s Drone-Shot Horror Film *Follow Mode* Moves Toward Production

Ben Leonberg, the director of the breakout horror film *Good Boy*, is set to write, direct and shoot his next feature, *Follow Mode*, entirely with consumer-grade drones. The project is being produced by Temple Hill and Protagonist Pictures, with domestic rights co-represented by Temple Hill and Verve Ventures. International sales will be launched at the upcoming Cannes market.

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*Good Boy*—a micro-budget horror that debuted at SXSW and Film at Lincoln Center—earned IFC’s second-largest opening weekend (behind Temple Hill’s *Clown in a Cornfield*) and grossed $8.8 million worldwide, including $6.6 million domestically. Its success established Leonberg’s reputation for inventive point-of-view storytelling, prompting Temple Hill to partner with him again for a film that exploits the “hands-free” mode now standard on many drones.

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• Ben Leonberg – writer-director (co-scripted with Alex Cannon)

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• Temple Hill – primary producer (Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, John Fischer, Hal Sadoff, Ben Levine)

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• Protagonist Pictures – sales firm and executive producers (Dave Bishop, James Pugh, George Hamilton)

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• Verve Ventures – domestic co-representative

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• Cannes Market – venue for international sales launch

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This collaboration marks the sixth partnership between Temple Hill and Protagonist, following titles such as *Clown in a Cornfield* and the SXSW-acquired *Monitor*.

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• *Good Boy* box-office: $8.8 M worldwide, $6.6 M domestic

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• IFC opening ranking: 2nd biggest weekend for a horror release in 2026

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• Production approach: 100 % of footage captured via drones operating in “hands-free” mode

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Protagonist CEO Dave Bishop described *Follow Mode* as a bold, high-concept horror that “stops you in your tracks” and highlighted Leonberg’s proven ability to push boundaries. Leonberg emphasized that the proliferation of hands-free drone technology creates a “chilling new vulnerability” that fuels the film’s tension. Temple Hill noted its admiration for *Good Boy*’s original perspective and framed *Follow Mode* as the next evolution of found-footage cinema, capitalizing on everyday surveillance anxieties.

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No dissenting commentary or criticism appears in the available sources.

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Sources are consistent on production details and financial performance of *Good Boy*. Information on *Follow Mode*’s release schedule, distribution partners beyond domestic rights, and final budget remains undisclosed.

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• “Follow Mode is the kind of bold, high-concept horror that stops you in your tracks – propulsive, original and viscerally thrilling from its first frame to its last.” — Dave Bishop, CEO, Protagonist Pictures

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• “ Leonberg added: “The rise of hands-free drone technology has introduced a chilling new vulnerability to everyday life—anyone with a drone can become a peeping tom, a stalker, or worse…” — Ben Leonberg, Director

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• “We see Follow Mode as the next evolution of the found footage movie – playing on the terrifying reality that any of us could be followed and watched by store-bought technology.” — Temple Hill spokesperson

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• “When a group of teens knock this drone out of the sky, they discover that it contains home movies of the killer’s brutal crimes.” — **Synopsis of *Follow Mode***

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Protagonist Pictures will present *Follow Mode* to international buyers at Cannes, seeking distribution partners for territories worldwide. Domestic rollout will be coordinated by Temple Hill and Verve Ventures, with a tentative release window slated for late 2026 or early 2027 pending sales outcomes.

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