A24’s reputation is on the line with the SCP Foundation movie
Following the surprising success of the internet-born horror phenomenon "Backrooms," indie film studio A24 appears to be diving headfirst into another digital fright-fest: the SCP Foundation. Reports indicate that A24 is developing a new installment for the popular "V/H/S" horror anthology series, specifically titled "V/H/S: SCP." However, the ink on the announcement barely had time to dry before a significant wave of backlash erupted, casting a shadow of doubt over the project's future.
The SCP Foundation itself is a sprawling, collaborative creepypasta project that, much like "Backrooms," traces its origins back to 4chan. It centers around a fictional organization, the Special Containment Procedures (SCP) Foundation, dedicated to documenting, capturing, and containing paranormal or supernatural anomalies to protect humanity. The unique storytelling style primarily unfolds through a vast wiki, where contributors create detailed entries, research logs, and incident reports that mimic official government or scientific documentation.
This extensive, community-driven lore is a key part of the SCP Foundation's appeal, which has fostered a passionate and protective fanbase over the years. The immediate negative reaction to A24's "V/H/S: SCP" suggests a deep concern among fans that the studio's adaptation, especially within the confines of an anthology series known for found-footage horror, might fundamentally misunderstand or misrepresent the intricate and unique nature of the SCP universe. The project is already being described as being on "shaky ground" before production has even truly begun.
Our take
Live commentary on a developing story, not a final verdict.
Oh, A24, darling, did you learn nothing from "Backrooms" beyond "internet horror makes money"? Because porting the SCP Foundation into the "V/H/S" anthology sounds like a classic case of taking a nuanced, sprawling, wiki-driven universe and jamming it into a found-footage jumpscare machine. The SCP community isn't just a casual fanbase; they're the architects, the librarians, the custodians of a deeply intricate lore. To misstep here isn't just a bad movie; it's a direct insult to years of collaborative world-building.
This isn't a new story. Hollywood sees a viral hit, tries to monetize it without genuinely understanding the appeal, and then wonders why the internet turns on them faster than a broken SCP containment unit. The SCP Foundation thrives on dread, mystery, and the implications of documentation, not necessarily visceral scares in short bursts. Framing this through "V/H/S" feels like trying to explain quantum physics with a puppet show – it might be entertaining, but it's probably missing the point entirely. If A24 doesn't handle this with surgical precision and deep respect for the source material, they're not just risking a flop; they're risking the wrath of an entire internet subculture that prides itself on its creation.
This is our take on a developing story, not the final word — read the original reporting at The Verge ↗
