By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The Australian production combines slasher and survival horror with dark comedy.
Shudder has announced its acquisition of PENNY LANE IS DEAD for the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland and the Caribbean Basin Islands, and will begin streaming it August 28. Making its North American premiere tonight at the Fantasia International Film Festival, it’s the feature debut of Australian writer/director Mia-Kate Russell. Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn, Tahlee Fereday, Alexandra Jensen (TALK TO ME), Bailey Spalding, Steve Le Marquand, Fletcher Humphrys and Ben O’Toole (HACKSAW RIDGE) star; the synopsis: “Set on a hot summer’s night in 1986 Australia, 17-year-old Penny Lane is celebrating getting into college with her longtime girlfriends. After Penny’s jealous and troubled cousin decides a cruel prank is in order, what begins as a thoughtless spiked cupcake game spirals into a night of bloodshed and revenge.”
“It’s exhilarating that my feature directorial debut is being released by Shudder, one of the most fearless and bold distributors out there,” Russell says. “The Shudder team has such a keen understanding of genre films, and are the perfect partners to unleash this powerful film with audiences.”
“Mia-Kate Russell’s debut feature is a fierce slasher immersed in the nostalgia of 80s horror and laced with dark comedy and rage,” says Emily Gotto, SVP of Shudder Acquisitions and Production. “We’re delighted to introduce her film to the Shudder lineup.”
