Looking For Collaboration The Cruise High Concept Outbreak Horror/Thriller Set at Sea

Washingtoninkgirl said:

I completely agree, and I’ve actually spent a lot of time developing exactly what makes THE CRUISE different beyond just the cruise ship setting. There is a specific element that sets it apart from other outbreak and contained-survival films, and I’ve made that a key part of how I pitch the project to producers and directors. I just prefer not to give that part away publicly.

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I completely understand, and that makes sense. You don’t need to share that part publicly. Feel free to send the screenplay and any additional details to my inbox, and I’ll take a closer look at the project from there.

ambrosejames3580 said:

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Hi Brandy, great to connect! The Cruise sounds like a really compelling contained horror concept, especially the combination of the cruise-ship setting, outbreak premise, and mystery surrounding the pregnant passenger. I’d love to learn more about the project and connect to discuss it further. Wishing you all the best with the film!

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Hi! Thanks for your message. Just a small correction — I’m Ambrose, not Brandy.

ambrosejames3580 said:

Hi! Thanks for your message. Just a small correction — I’m Ambrose, not Brandy.

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Thanks, I appreciate that. Before I send the screenplay over, could you tell me a little about yourself and what you do in the industry? I just like to know who I’m sending my material to.

Washingtoninkgirl said:

Thanks, I appreciate that. Before I send the screenplay over, could you tell me a little about yourself and what you do in the industry? I just like to know who I’m sending my material to.

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I’m mainly focused on film development and packaging, and I connect with writers and filmmakers to discover projects with potential. I’m particularly interested in helping promising projects develop further and finding the right direction for them.

I’m not looking to share your material publicly. I’m simply interested in getting to know the project and seeing if there’s a way I can be useful. You can send it to my inbox whenever you’re comfortable.

ambrosejames3580 said:

I’m mainly focused on film development and packaging, and I connect with writers and filmmakers to discover projects with potential. I’m particularly interested in helping promising projects develop further and finding the right direction for them.

I’m not looking to share your material publicly. I’m simply interested in getting to know the project and seeing if there’s a way I can be useful. You can send it to my inbox whenever you’re comfortable.

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Before I send any of my material, I need to know who I’m speaking with. Please provide your full name, your company or professional affiliation, and your role in the industry. I don’t send my work to unidentified accounts. Thanks for understanding.

Washingtoninkgirl said:

Before I send any of my material, I need to know who I’m speaking with. Please provide your full name, your company or professional affiliation, and your role in the industry. I don’t send my work to unidentified accounts. Thanks for understanding.

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My name is Ambrose James. I’m currently focused on connecting with writers, filmmakers, and other industry professionals through FilmPlatforms, particularly around projects in development and packaging.

I’m not representing a production company. I’m simply interested in discovering promising projects and building professional connections around them.

ambrosejames3580 said:

My name is Ambrose James. I’m currently focused on connecting with writers, filmmakers, and other industry professionals through FilmPlatforms, particularly around projects in development and packaging.

I’m not representing a production company. I’m simply interested in discovering promising projects and building professional connections around them.

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Brandy, one aspect worth considering is how quickly THE CRUISE establishes tension.

For international audiences, the opening 10–15 minutes can be critical, particularly in horror and thrillers. The challenge is creating a sense of danger before the outbreak fully unfolds, without revealing too much too early.

How are you approaching that balance in the screenplay?

Washingtoninkgirl said:

Hi everyone! I’m Brandy Robertson, screenwriter of The Cruise, a contained outbreak horror/thriller set aboard a cruise ship. When a synthetic drug triggers a violent outbreak at sea, thousands of passengers are trapped with nowhere to escape. As the infection spreads through bites, blood, and saliva, a small group of survivors discovers the outbreak may be more than an accident, and one pregnant passenger could be the key to understanding why. I’d love to connect with producers and industry professionals interested in contained horror, outbreak thrillers, and high-concept genre projects.

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Brandy, have you spoken with any distributors or international sales agents about the project? Have you looked into which territories might be interested in this type of horror film and whether there's actual market demand?

Thanks for asking! I haven’t spoken with distributors or international sales agents yet, and I haven’t researched demand in specific territories. So far, I’ve pitched The Cruise to a couple of literary managers and producers through Stage 32. One person who gave me feedback said the story felt almost too close to what’s happening right now, and that was what scared her most.


An earlier draft received scores of 8 for premise and 8 for setting on The Black List. One reader compared the ship’s isolation to the island in 28 Years Later and singled out the fact that the characters have nowhere to run. Another responded to how Big Pharma figures into the story. I’ve since completed a substantial rewrite.


My closest creative comps are World War Z for the speed of the outbreak and The Last of Us for the emotional stakes of survival. In The Cruise, a pharmaceutical heir is trapped at sea with his pregnant wife when a synthetic drug triggers a violent outbreak aboard their honeymoon cruise.


I wrote Aaron with Tom Payne in mind and pictured Alexandra Daddario as Lori. I briefly introduced the project to Tom during a livestream and mentioned that the script was listed on The Black List. If they were cast, I could see Tom drawing fans of The Walking Dead and Alexandra bringing in viewers who know her from Mayfair Witches and The White Lotus.


Are there any recent outbreak or contained horror features you’d suggest I look at for their international sales?