Netflix will dive into the horror thriller space as it picks up on the script. The last will and testament of Charles Abernathy to be adapted into a feature film with the direction of Alejandro Brugues. This is what we know.
Coming from the writing duo Chris Lamont and Joe Russo, the horror / thriller film will begin production next month in Vancouver, Canada.
Here’s what to expect from the movie:
“On the eve of his 75th birthday, billionaire Charles Abernathy invites his four separated children to return home for fear that tonight someone, or something, will come and kill him. To ensure that his family will help protect him from whatever may come, Abernathy risks every one of his inheritances: they will get nothing if they find him dead at dawn. ‘
If you’re thinking that this sounds a bit like Knives Out (a franchise that Netflix just acquired) you’re not alone, although in this case, it certainly has a slightly darker tone with more horror elements.
Argentine writer and director Alejandro Brugeues is cast in the role of director with previous credits including episodes in 50 States of Horrors (for Quibi) and From Dusk to Dawn . He also directed the excellent episode of Pooka Lives! for Hulu’s In the Dark . Writing credits include Juan de los Muertos and ABC de la Muerte 2 .
There are no cast members tied to the project yet, although we’ve heard that some of the actors and actresses considered include Graham Phillips (as seen in Riverdale ), Thomas Elms, Aubrey Dollar, and Liisi LaFontaine.
Paul Schiff, who worked at Netflix Fractured in 2019, will be one of the film’s producers.
The film’s script has been around for a few years and a script review hasn’t been too kind to it. Criticisms include that the premise is largely to wait and label much of the plot as “inorganic.” However, they suggested Donald Sutherland for the character of Charles Abernathy (President Snow in The Hunger Games ) which is a solid choice in our opinion.
Although it appears on the Blood List (essentially a body of industry professionals who vote for their favorite unproduced horror and suspense scripts), it was surpassed by Chris Thomas Devlin’s Cobweb , although Chris LaMont and Joe Russo’s earlier script, Soulmates won the year before. Netflix has been successful in developing scripts for movies that were featured on the Blood List before with Bird Box and Eli both becoming winning Netflix Original Movies in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
That’s all we have for now, we’ll keep you posted as we learn more.