Movies
Jane Levy & Jessica Rothe Star in Shudder’s Survival Slasher ‘River’
Genre favorites Jane Levy (Evil Dead) and Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day) will face off against a masked killer in River, Variety has learned.
Max Mattern (“Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy”) and Dane DiLiegro (Prey) also star in the film, which marks the feature debut of writer-director Joshua Giuliano.
It follows three estranged siblings who reunite in their hometown after the death of their father. They set out to scatter his ashes at his favorite spot on a remote river, but when their boat breaks down, the trip devolves into a waking nightmare.
Stranded miles from help with no cell service, they soon realize they’re being stalked by a faceless killer who has emerged from the woods. To survive the night, the siblings must put their long-standing grudges aside and fight together against a ruthless, almost mythic terror.
The survival slasher is expected to be released in theaters in 2026 through IFC followed by streaming on Shudder.
Steven Schneider (Insidious, Paranormal Activity) from Spooky Pictures and Nick Antosca (“Hannibal,” “Chucky”) & Alex Hedlund (As Above, So Below, “Chucky”) from Eat the Cat produce.
Executive producers include Jeffrey Tinnell & Robert Tinnell from Allegheny Image Factory and Matt Brodlie & Jonathan Kier from Upgrade.
“River was six years in the making, a labor of love that culminated in the most rewarding experience of my life,” said Giuliano. “Working with Shudder has been a thrilling collaboration and knowing River will have a theatrical release is a dream come true. I look forward to sharing our terrifying creation with audiences.”
“Josh is a striking new voice in horror,” adds Shudder’s vice president of development and production Nicholas Lazo. “His simultaneously beautiful and horrifying script captivated us from page one, and it’s our privilege to team up with such an immensely talented group of producers, cast and crew to bring his feature debut to life.”
River‘s international rights will be introduced to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.
The new trailer for epic survival thriller The Dog Stars warns to fear the survivors of the apocalypse.
Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), Josh Brolin (Weapons), and Margaret Qualley (The Substance) try to maintain their humanity in the intense new trailer for Ridley Scott‘s survival thriller, releasing in theaters on August 28, 2026.
The film is “set in a world where survival is instinct, but humanity is a choice.
“Ridley Scott tells the story of Hig, a young pilot who, together with a military survivalist, Bangley, has carved out an efficient but isolated homestead in a brutal post-apocalyptic world until a mysterious radio transmission spurs Hig to venture into the unknown in search of the hope and humanity he still believes exists.”
Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong, and Allison Janney also star.
The film is based on Peter Heller’s bestselling novel and written by Mark L. Smith (Overlord, The Revenant) and produced by Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss, Mark L. Smith, and Cliff Roberts.
Check out the new trailer and poster below, which emphasize the thrills in the upcoming survival thriller. But it’s one that’s also filled with hope.
“I think people will be surprised and engaged, actually. I would say, hmm… charmed as well,” Scott says of the film. “Although, there is some violence.”
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