Exclusives
Filming Begins on Action-Thriller ‘The Day’, Impressive Cast!
Filming is underway in Ottawa, Ontario on a new indie action thriller project that brings a vast collection of talented actors together for what’s described as an “apocalyptic siege warfare film.” Doug Aarniokoski, a Robert Rodriguez protege, best know for his second unit director work on Takers, Resident Evil: Extinction and even Once Upon a Time in Mexico, gets behind the camera for The Day that features the all-star cast of Shawn Ashmore (X-Men, Frozen, Mother’s Day, The Ruins), Ashley Bell (The Last Exorcism), Cory Hardrict (Gran Torino, Battle: Los Angeles), Dominic Monaghan (“Lost”) and Shannyn Sossamon (Catacombs, One Missed Call)! Details inside.
Several of Hollywood’s noted rising stars are continuing their love fest with independent films, as apocalyptic siege warfare film The Day begins lensing this week. The original screenplay was written by tyro scribe Luke Passmore, and was developed and is being produced by Guy Danella.
The film is a visceral action thriller with moral depth spanning 24 hours during which the ensemble cast is pit against insurmountable odds. The intention is for this film to be launching pad for a franchise.
Michael Finley of Follow Through Productions, LLC, Tim James and Antonina Armato of Rock Mafia Records, and Ross Dinerstein of Parlay Media, are executive producing. Faction M will also have a producing role.
Aarniokoski comes out of the Robert Rodriquez camp, and has made a name for himself doing excellent Second Unit Director work. He is also attached to direct The Black Phantom for Screen Gems. He started his career as a First Assistant Director, working on such films as: The Faculty, Spy Kids and From Dusk Till Dawn.
Ashmore was last seen in the Sundance Film Festival selection, Frozen; Bell is fresh off the indie hit The Last Exorcism; Hardrict stars in the upcoming Sony release Battle: Los Angeles; Monaghan, of “Lost” and Lord of the Rings fame, most recently was on ABC’s “Flash Forward”; and Sossamon just premiered Road to Nowhere in Venice.
Aarniokoski is represented by WME and Principato/Young, Passmore is represented by Generate. Ashmore by Gersh and Paul Nicholls. Bell by Paradigm and Principato/Young. Hardrict by Gersh and Burnstein Company. Monaghan by APA. Sossamon by Paradigm and Jeffrey Dash.
Exclusives
Katharine Isabelle Battles Cosmic Horror in Exclusive ‘Junction Row’ Teaser Trailer [Fantasia 2026]
Among Fantasia 2026‘s massive final wave of programming this morning is Raven Banner’s Lovecraftian creature feature Junction Row, starring Canadian horror icon Katharine Isabelle, and we’re exclusively unveiling the teaser trailer.
Junction Row will celebrate its World Premiere at Fantasia on July 28.
Watch a housing compound fall under siege from Lovecraftian creatures more dangerous than drug dealers in the trailer below.
Junction Row follows “Juno, a recovering addict who leaves a fringe housing compound for a better life, leaving her beloved Ruby behind. When she learns that Ruby has gone missing, Juno returns, only to find Junction Row has become a hotbed of criminal activity, but she encounters much more than menacing drug dealers on her mission to find Ruby.”
Isabelle stars as Juno, with Natalie Brown (FX’s The Strain) as Ruby.
The creature feature marks the feature debut by director Ashlea Wessel, who has directed festival-favorite shorts like 2018’s “Tick” and 2020’s “Weirdo”.
Wessel co-writes Junction Row with Clown in a Cornfield author Adam Cesare and Matt Serafini.
Katharine Isabelle is coming off a brief appearance in Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, and more recently appeared in holiday horror It’s a Wonderful Knife. The horror icon is arguably best known for her turn as the eponymous werewolf in Ginger Snaps and for her roles in American Mary and Freddy vs Jason.
Fantasia teases that Junction Row tells “a story where the fear of the unknown isn’t confined to what lies above, but what waits beneath.”
Stay tuned for more from Fantasia as the festival gets underway later this month.