Archive · 10 Jan 2026
Horror Thriller 'When A Stranger Venmos' in Development
Joe Russo and Chris LaMont are making a horror movie called 'When a Stranger Venmos' based on a short story by Holly Riordan.
The story is about a woman in Los Angeles who gets money from a stranger to do weird tasks.
The movie will be directed by Frank and Ivanna Borin and produced by Matt Smith and Dan Gedman.
The story was first published on a website called Thought Catalog and has been very popular.
The movie is about the scary and exciting things people might do to survive in today's world.
Joe Russo and Chris LaMont are adapting a viral short story by Holly Riordan into a horror thriller film titled 'When a Stranger Venmos'.
The story, originally published on Thought Catalog, follows an assistant in Los Angeles who receives money from a stranger for increasingly strange challenges.
Frank and Ivanna Borin will direct the film, with Matt Smith and Dan Gedman producing via Highway 10.
The film explores themes of modern-day survival and the anxieties faced by young people today.
Holly Riordan, the author of the original story, is a thriller writer with a significant following and has written other books like 'The Guilty Twin' and 'Forget Her'.
- Who
- Joe Russo, Chris LaMont, Frank and Ivanna Borin, Matt Smith, Dan Gedman, Holly Riordan
- What
- Development of a horror thriller film based on a viral short story
- When
- 2022 (publication of the story), current development phase
- Where
- Los Angeles, California
- Why
- To adapt a compelling story that resonates with young people and explores modern-day survival anxieties
- Original Story
- A Complete Stranger Sent Me 10k On Venmo — But There Was A Catch
- Screenplay Adaptation
- When a Stranger Venmos
- Directors
- Frank and Ivanna Borin
- Producers
- Matt Smith and Dan Gedman
- Production Company
- Highway 10
- Author
- Holly Riordan
- Website
- Thought Catalog
- Representative
- Helen Heller at the Helen Heller Agency