featuring @blumhouse @atomicmonster
Filmmaker Joshua Giuliano is expanding his work in the horror genre with Occupant, a new feature film backed by Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, Divide/Conquer, and Spooky Pictures. The announcement comes after Giuliano’s feature debut, River, recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
According to Deadline, Giuliano will write and direct Occupant, while Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to the film. Universal Pictures International will oversee its international distribution.
Plot details for Occupant are currently being kept under wraps, with the filmmakers yet to reveal what audiences can expect from the upcoming horror movie.
Jason Blum, Greg Gilreath, Adam Hendricks, and Steven Schneider are attached to produce. Daniel Bekerman, Derek Bishé, Neil Mathieson, Allie Steffler, Sam Zimmerman, and Jeremy Kulyk will serve as executive producers.
Giuliano’s most notable project to date is River, which marks his feature directorial debut. The film premiered as the opening-night selection of the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness program and stars Jane Levy, Jessica Rothe, Max Mattern, and Dane DiLiegro.
River follows three siblings who reunite following the death of their father. The siblings set out by boat to scatter his ashes at one of his favorite locations, but their emotional journey quickly becomes a desperate fight for survival after they become stranded.
Before making the jump to feature films, Giuliano built his reputation through a series of horror shorts. Among them was Vampire, a three-minute short released by Crypt TV in 2017. The film centers on a man who visits a blood donation center, only to uncover a disturbing secret.
Giuliano also directed In Sound, We Live Forever, another short that helped pave the way for River. Midnight Madness programmer Peter Kuplowsky highlighted the project as an example of the distinctive filmmaking style Giuliano brought to his feature debut.
With Occupant, Giuliano is now set to return to the horror genre for his second feature. The film currently has no announced release date.
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