With films under their belt including Zach Cregger’s Barbarian and Weapons, BoulderLight Pictures has become a respected production company in the genre space in recent years, and Deadline reports tonight that the team has made their next big move.
BoulderLight’s JD Lifshitz and Raphael Margules entered a first-look deal with Warner Bros./New Line Cinema back in 2023, but Deadline reports that once that deal is up in January 2026, the BoulderLight team will next be setting up shop at Paramount.
Over at Paramount, Lifshitz and Margules will lead a new genre label. Beginning next year, Deadline notes, “they will begin developing, producing and releasing a slate of the high-concept, boundary-pushing films for which they have become known.”
Paramount Pictures’ Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg said in a statement, “J.D. and Rafi have distinguished themselves as two standout visionaries of the “premium pulp” genre, while also proving their prowess across all genres. With a track record of films that are both critically acclaimed and audience-beloved, we are so thrilled that they’re making their home at Paramount Pictures. Together, we cannot wait to bring moviegoers even more inventive and visceral stories that are like nothing seen before on the big screen.”
“From the moment we first met, we’ve felt a deep connection & alignment with Josh, Dana & David,” said Lifshitz and Margules. “Their commitment to theatrical volume, passion for cinema & visionary approach to the future of media is inspiring and speaks to our shared values. We look forward to working together to build something tremendous for both filmmakers & audiences. We are grateful for David, Mike, Pam, Richard and everyone at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Discovery. We could not be more excited for this next chapter.”
BoulderLight Pictures is a Los Angeles-based film & television production company founded by JD Lifshitz and Raphael Margules. Their films include Barbarian, The Vigil, Becky, Anna Kendrick’s Netflix thriller, Woman of the Hour, and Andy DeYoung’s A24 comedy, Friendship. As of 2023, BoulderLight entered a first-look deal with New Line Cinema, where they produced Drew Hancock’s sci-fi thriller, Companion, and Zach Cregger’s sophomore feature, Weapons.
