By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The film co-starring genre fave Daniel Roebuck (pictured) just wrapped principal photography.
Producer Jason Hignite gave us the word about Infinite Abyss Productions’ AMERICAN CRYPTIDS, which began life as an independent horror anthology called KINDLING a few years back. Director Erynn Dalton tells us, “We shot the first segment of the anthology in autumn of 2022 with the amazing Anne Bobby [NIGHTBREED] and Lukas Hassel [SLAPFACE]. During that time, we all felt there was much more of that story to tell. Our writer Joseph Zettelmaier ran back to his laptop and reconfigured the entire film.”
No longer a collection of semi-connected stories, “AMERICAN CRYPTIDS tells the tale of two feuding families, one human and one not,” according to the official synopsis. “When an attempt at peace results in even greater bloodshed, both sides go into hiding, waiting to see what the other will do next. In a world of monsters, folk magic, and ghosts, can the youngest generation shake off the violence of their elders?”
“I’ve always been a huge fan of American folklore,” Zettelmaier says, “and getting to deep dive into that world was a thrill. Cryptids are homegrown horror, and I love the way different communities have really embraced the local creatures as their own.”
In addition to Roebuck, Bobby and Hassell, the cast includes Mabel Thomas, Michael Alan Herman, Callie Bussell, Tess Talbot and Tyler Charles Kane. Roebuck, most recently seen in TERRIFIER 3, plays Clayton, the elder of the Carver clan, and Hignite says, “I’ve known Danny for years, and having him join us is a dream. He brings such a breadth of experience and joy to the project.”
AMERICAN CRYPTIDS is aiming at a film festival premiere in August of this year. Stay tuned for further updates!
