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Thailand‘s Benetone Films and genre distributor Fearfolks have joined forces with Vietnam‘s ProductionQ on “Roll & LOL,” a horror-comedy that will mark one of the first co-productions between the two countries’ film industries.
The Bangkok-set project, currently in development, will be co-financed and co-produced by all three companies and feature an all-Vietnamese cast.
The story follows a struggling Vietnamese comedian who recruits a troupe of improv actors to shoot a low-budget Thai horror film, hoping to resurrect his flagging career, only for genuine supernatural forces to descend on the production. Chongdol Sukulworaphat, known for “Love Stuck,” is attached to direct.
A two-decade presence in the Thai industry, Benetone operates as a global full-service production company with a growing international footprint. Its recent credits include Adithya Dhar’s “Dhurandhar,” the Ranveer Singh-fronted Bollywood blockbuster, and “Perfect Girl,” a slasher thriller led by Scott Strauss with backing from Badlands, Thunder Road, the producers of the “John Wick” franchise, and Cho and Desert Bloom.
“By merging the creative heartbeat of Vietnam with the unparalleled production mastery of Thailand, we are doing more than making horror movies,” said Rachvin and Kulthep Narula, CEO and COO of Benetone Films, in a statement. “We are elevating Southeast Asian folklore into global cinematic masterpieces.”
Fearfolks, which handles genre releases across Thailand and India, has brought titles including “Good Boy” and Neon’s “Shelby Oaks” to local screens, and took Thailand’s top-performing horror franchise “Death Whisperer” to Indian audiences. The company has also released A24’s “Eternity” and “Marty Supreme” under the Benetone banner.
“Southeast Asian horror has never just been about the scare; it is a profound reflection of our relationship with the unseen world,” said Hans Audric Estialbo, CEO of Fearfolks. “By bringing our filmmakers to the global stage, we aren’t just exporting fear — we are sharing the soul, the craft, and the deeply rooted storytelling of Thailand with the rest of the world.”
The deal reflects a period of strong cross-border momentum between the two markets. Thai horror titles have found a substantial audience in Vietnam over the 2020–2025 window, with nearly 30 films amassing around VND580.7 billion ($22.1 million) at the local box office. The genre hit its stride in 2024, when 10 releases combined for VND263.2 billion ($10 million), driven largely by “404 Run Run” and “Death Whisperer 2.” Vietnamese horror, meanwhile, has undergone its own surge, with several domestically produced titles each grossing between VND100 billion and VND200 billion (approximately $3.8-$7.6 million) in 2025 alone.
ProductionQ has carved out a leading position in Vietnam’s period horror space, with “Vietnamese Horror Story” (2022), “The Soul Reaper” (2023) and “The Sisters” (2024) each earning around $3 million at home. “Vietnamese Horror Story” holds a notable distinction as the all-time record-holder for ticket presales in Vietnam, reaching 85,000 admissions.
“Thailand has long been one of the most influential voices in Asian horror, while Vietnam is quickly becoming one of the region’s most dynamic film markets,” said Quan Nguyen, CEO of ProductionQ. “This collaboration allows us to bring together the creative strengths of both industries and develop a project designed to travel across Southeast Asia and international audiences.”
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