EXCLUSIVE: Filming has begun in Vancouver for Ian McDonald’s new horror film Sundowning, produced by Spooky Pictures. Deadline has the scoop on the cast members involved.
Elizabeth Dulau (Andor), Susanne Wuest (Industry), Rukiya Bernard (Yellowjackets), and Robbie G.K. (Heated Rivalry) are set to lead in this chilling psychological thriller.
This marks McDonald’s second directorial venture, following his contributions as a writer to Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour and his directorial debut with the unique 2016 teen film Some Freaks.
In his latest project, McDonald tells the story of a young musician battling gerontophobia, an intense fear of aging and death. This fear leads her to neglect her ailing parents. In a bid for redemption, she takes a job at a remote hospice, only to find that her attempt at atonement is compromised by a horrifying discovery that the seemingly peaceful place conceals a dreadful secret.
Sundowning is a key new release from the collaboration between Spooky Pictures and the Abu Dhabi-based Image Nation under their multi-year agreement.
The film is produced by Steven Schneider (The Long Walk), Roy Lee (Barbarian), and Simmy Wolf (Thunderbolts) for Spooky Pictures, along with Chris Wilkinson and Ryan Marchant of Hadron Films (Breeder, Still/Born, Z), and Line Producer Ellie Cameron-Smith. Executive producers include Spooky Pictures’ Rami Yasin (Hokum), Ben Ross from Image Nation (Watcher, Late Night with the Devil), and several others from Industry Entertainment.
International sales are being handled by AGC, with Cinetic managing the North American market.
“Ian has a proven ability to weave complex character narratives within thrilling plots that engage with social and institutional issues,” said Schneider, co-founder of Spooky Pictures. “We are excited to see how this talented cast brings to life such a compelling tale of redemption intertwined with the grim aspects of elder care.”
Ben Ross, CEO of Image Nation, commented on the project’s alignment with their goals for innovative and impactful cinema, noting, “Sundowning fits perfectly with our vision for producing pioneering and emotionally potent films, with its inventive approach to exploring themes of guilt, mortality, and loss under Ian’s creative direction.”
Previously, McDonald’s Woman of the Hour, financed by AGC Studios and others, premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and was quickly snapped up by Netflix following a competitive bidding process. McDonald is also developing an Untitled Cult Thriller for Netflix with producers Andrea Berloff and John Gatins.
Dulau is renowned for her role as Kleya in Andor, a performance that earned her an Emmy nomination. Her expansive resume includes roles in House of Guinness on Netflix, the upcoming All the Light We Cannot See by Shawn Levy for Netflix, and a feature film adaptation of Wicked directed by Jon M. Chu.
Wuest, recognized internationally since her film Antares, is also celebrated for her role in the critically acclaimed Goodnight Mommy. Her latest work includes The Sound of Falling on Mubi and HBO’s Industry, and she will soon appear in Orphan 3 from Lionsgate.
Bernard is familiar to audiences from Showtime’s Yellowjackets and will soon feature in AMC’s The Audacity.
Robbie G.K., coming off the success of Heated Rivalry, has previously starred in Utopia Falls.
Representatives for the cast and crew include CAA and Entertainment 360 for McDonald; Anonymous Content and The Artists Partnership for Dulau; The Artists Partnership and others for Wuest; D2Management and RED Management for Bernard; and Amplified Mgmt and The Talent House for Robbie G.K.
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