By MICHAEL GINGOLD
GAME OF THRONES’ Emilia Clarke (pictured) stars in the recently wrapped chiller.
Bleecker Street has announced its acquisition of global rights (excluding Australia and New Zealand) to WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US, the new horror film from director James Ashcroft (THE RULE OF JENNY PEN, COMING HOME IN THE DARK). Shot in New Zealand, it is set for nationwide release in 2027. Based on the cult-favorite novella by Elizabeth Engstrom and scripted by Ashcroft, Hayley Sproull and Eli Kent, it also stars Marlon Williams, Victoria Pedretti (FORBIDDEN FRUITS, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE) and Natascha McElhone. The synopsis: “The visually arresting film follows a young woman [Clarke] who, after surviving 15 years trapped in an underground cave system, returns to the surface to reclaim the family she believes is hers, no matter the monstrous cost.”
“The term ‘world-building’ is wildly overused, but the degree to which James and team have built a subterranean universe cannot be understated,” says Bleecker Street CEO Kent Sanderson. “This film is a true journey into the darkness, literally and figuratively, and we can’t wait to shock audiences worldwide with James’ singular vision.”
“My passion for Elizabeth Engstrom’s story remains boundless; what an absolute gift it has been bringing this work to the screen,” Ashcroft says. “With WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US, Liz never lets us forget that the actions of her characters are by turns both tragic and monstrous—no matter how sympathetic they may be. But it’s their indelible humanity that can’t be so easily shaken off afterwards, and that’s when we find ourselves at home in the darkness with them.”
