EXCLUSIVE: Magnolia Pictures has pre-bought U.S. rights to horror-thriller The Shepherd from Anton and are planning a robust theatrical release next year.
David Dastmalchian (The Dark Knight) and Georgina Campbell (Barbarian) are set to star in the film about a desperate young woman on the run from her ex who hitches a ride through the desert with a frightening stranger, only to realize he’s on a mission to destroy the mysterious cargo resting in the backseat.
Filming is due to get underway this fall on the movie which heralds from Spooky Pictures and Image Nation. John Hyams (Sick) is directing from a script by Alexander Gustaveson.
Anton is handling worldwide rights and co-repping North American rights with UTA Independent Film Group and Cinetic. International sales will continue at TIFF.
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia’s SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden, with Louis Balsan and Sebastien Raybaud of Anton, and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.
Reuniting the producers behind the box-office hit Late Night with the Devil – which also starred Dastmalchian – The Shepherd is produced under the Spooky Pictures – Image Nation partnership with Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity) and Roy Lee (It franchise, Weapons) for Spooky Pictures (Strange Darling); Ben Cornwell, Jordan Foley and Nick Smith for Paperclip Ltd. (Alone) along with Jonathan Rosenthal (Alone); and Sébastien Raybaud (Greenland) for Anton. Anton and Image Nation are financing.
Executive producers are David Dastmalchian under his Good Fiend Films banner, Georgina Campbell, Ben Ross and Derek Dauchy for Image Nation, Rami Yasin for Spooky Pictures, and Yeardley Smith for Paperclip Ltd.
“John Hyams has become a master at delivering intense, visceral material with maximum impact,” said Magnolia Pictures co-CEOs Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley. “We’re excited to bring this to audiences next year.”
Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight and Ant-Man star Dastmalchian can be seen next in Apple TV+’s sci fi series Murderbot. Barbarian and The Watchers star Campbell won a BAFTA TV prize for Murdered by My Boyfriend.
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