Last summer, with studio production at a standstill, a group of young actors in quarantine who were eager to get back to work took it upon themselves to make an independent movie about a group of young actors, and today, Collider can exclusively unveil the official trailer forUntitled Horror Moviefrom directorNick Simon(The Girl in the Photographs) and his co-writerLuke Baines(Shadowhunters).
The story is told entirely via computer screens and found footage, and Baines stars alongsideDarren Barnet(Never Have I Ever),Tim Granaderos(13 Reasons Why),Claire Holt(The Vampire Diaries),Katherine McNamara(Shadowhunters) andEmmy Raver-Lampman(The Umbrella Academy).
They play six vapid, half-famous Hollywood actors who learn that their TV show is on the brink of cancellation. Willing to do anything to save their careers, they decide to shoot their own horror movie, only to accidentally summon a violent demonic spirit that starts picking them off one by one.
The twist here is thatUntitled Horror Movie– yes, that’s the actual title – is really a comedy, or rather, a tongue-in-cheek satire of showbiz and Gen Z celebrity. There are no doubt thousands of actors who will be able to relate to the out-of-work characters in this movie and their need to createsomethingtogether, if only to stifle their own boredom as artists.
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As a comedy, it also helps to have veteran funny peopleKal Penn(Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) andAisha Tyler(Friends) lead a supporting cast that also includesKevin Daniels(Council of Dads),Lesly Kahn(Quantum Leap) andSohm Kapila(Jane the Virgin).
Simon, who was mentored by horror masterWes Craven, previously worked with Baines (and Penn) on the 2015 slasher movieThe Girl in the Photographs, so when the pandemic struck, the duo jumped into action and began writing the script that ultimately becameUntitled Horror Movie. With remote guidance from DPKevin Duggin, Baines and his co-stars had to light themselves as well as do their own hair and makeup and, perhaps most importantly, record their own sound. That’s no easy feat!
Randy Sinquefield’s Spectrum Studios financed theUntitled Horror Movie, which was produced byBronwyn CorneliusandMarina Stabile. In keeping with the tongue-in-cheek tone ofUHM, the aptly-named (Yet) Another Distribution Company will release the film June 15 on VOD and digital platforms like iTunes and Amazon following a special live-stream premiere event on June 12, for those who want a sneak peek. For now, watch the trailer below, and keep an ear out for the tasty jam “So It Goes” by Guards, because it’s a cool summer bop that deservesway more love on YouTube.
KEEP READING:‘The Girl in the Photographs’ Director Nick Simon Remembers Wes Craven at TIFF 2015
