Welcome Villain Films, a relatively new genre studios, has acquired North American rights to the gory thriller “Beaten to Death.”
The company plans to release the film in select theaters this summer with a digital release to follow.
Directed by Sam Curtain from a script he co-wrote with Benjamin Jung-Clarke, “Beaten to Death” unfolds after a desperate choice leads a man named Jack down a path that leaves him beaten and bruised as he struggles against man, nature, and his own insanity. According to the official logline, Jack, “stranded in the middle of nowhere after barely surviving a horrific assault, encounters one local after another and quickly learns that a sick game of cat and mouse is about to begin. Battling the deranged country psychos and the harsh landscape, Jack must go to extreme lengths to survive.”
“From the initial story inception, I wanted to achieve two things,” Curtain said. “I knew I wanted to create a visceral and violent experience, but I also wanted to find beauty in the frame. This is partially the reason why I decided to shoot it myself, to capture everything in the moment, in a hands-on tactile way, connecting the direction between the actor, the lens, and myself. The violent scenes are designed to shock and disturb, and I embrace the ride of emotions the audience experiences alongside Jack.”
“Beaten to Death” had its world premiere at Australia’s A Night of Horror International Film Festival. It will premiere in North America at this year’s Panic Fest on Tuesday, April 18 before screening as part of Fantastic Film Festival Australia on April 28.
“‘Beaten to Death’ is an absolute beast of a film, and is the type of boundary-pushing gut punch that the genre needs right now. It floored us.” says Luke LaBeau, Welcome Villain’s head of development. “Not only is it loaded with extreme, unrelenting violence, but it is just an incredibly well-made film on virtually every level. And in speaking with Sam and Ben, it was clear we were on the same wavelength from the start, which made this partnership even more exciting.”
Welcome Villain’s head of creative Eric Kleifield adds, “We love Outback horror, and this film lives up to its name and then some. Our motto is to be ‘a safe space for dangerous films,’ and this, most certainly, is a very dangerous film that will stick with viewers long after the credits roll. We’re proud to have ‘Beaten to Death’ as part of the Welcome Villain family.”
Thomas Roach stars in the lead role of Jack with David Tracy as the film’s main antagonist and Justan Wagner and Nicole Tudor in supporting roles. The film was produced by Libby Jessup, Sam Curtain, Benjamin Jung-Clarke, and Thomas Roach.
Welcome Villain Films launched last year as a fully integrated shop to develop, produce, market and distribute movies. Other features in the works include, survival horror thriller “Hunt Her, Kill Her,” a reimagining of “Last Shift,” as well as an untitled slasher project from the creators of “The Houses October Built.”
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