By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Originally set to appear in cinemas this spring, the much-anticipated undead saga is now set for a widespread showcase on the streaming service.
Shudder has announced that it will surprise-release BLOOD QUANTUM in the U.S., UK and Ireland starting on April 28 at midnight EST. The opening-night film in the Midnight Madness program of last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, it was written and directed by First Nations filmmaker Jeff Barnaby and stars Michael Greyeyes (FEAR THE WALKING DEAD), Forrest Goodluck, Kiowa Gordon, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Olivia Scriven, Brandon Oakes and Gary Farmer. The synopsis: “The dead are coming back to life outside the isolated Mi’gmaq reserve of Red Crow, except for its Indigenous inhabitants who are immune to the zombie plague. Traylor [Greyeyes], the tribal sheriff, must protect his son’s pregnant girlfriend, apocalyptic refugees, and reserve riffraff from the hordes of walking white corpses.”
“We knew the film was important and timely when we acquired it last year,” says Shudder’s Craig Engler, “but given recent events, BLOOD QUANTUM’s themes of isolation, fear of contagion, and humanity struggling with the ramifications of a global virus have only grown more relevant. When a theatrical release became untenable due to the real-world pandemic, we decided to accelerate the launch of Barnaby’s film so it would reach the biggest audience possible.”
BLOOD QUANTUM is a key part of Shudder’s “Halfway to Halloween Month” lineup, which also includes its CURSED FILMS series and new seasons of THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS and the WOLF CREEK series. The service is also continuing its extended 30-day free trial for new members with the promo code SHUTIN.
