Gary Dauberman's production company Coin Operated is developing a feature film adaptation of Nat Cassidy's horror novella "Rest Stop." Cassidy will write the screenplay for the project, which reunites him with Dauberman and producer Mia Maniscalco at Coin Operated.
The novella centers on a young musician trapped inside a gas station bathroom, setting up a claustrophobic horror premise with confined-space tension. Cassidy's involvement as both author and screenwriter positions him to translate his source material directly to screen, a common strategy for literary horror properties seeking to preserve authorial intent.
Dauberman brings significant horror credentials to the venture. His Coin Operated banner has developed multiple genre projects, while Dauberman himself recently wrote "Orphan: First Kill" and "It Follows," establishing his standing in contemporary horror cinema. The producer's track record suggests a commitment to character-driven scares alongside commercial appeal, qualities essential for elevating a gas station bathroom setting into compelling film.
"Rest Stop" arrives as Cassidy's profile rises in horror circles. The novella's recent publication taps into the current market appetite for contained horror narratives, a subgenre proven viable by films like "Phone Booth" and "127 Hours." Bathrooms and rest stops as horror settings carry inherent unease rooted in public vulnerability and isolation, tropes audiences respond to viscerally.
The project reflects broader industry patterns. Horror properties increasingly migrate from short-form or novella fiction directly to film, bypassing traditional novel development cycles. Publishers and producers recognize that horror audiences actively seek new intellectual property, and authors like Cassidy who build fandoms through novella releases become immediate acquisition targets.
Coin Operated operates within the studio ecosystem while maintaining production independence, a structure that typically allows for genre flexibility and risk-taking.