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Olga Kurylenko is set to lead the sci-fi action-thriller “Unify.”

Directed and written by Jonathan Hopkins (“Slumber”), the film is set in a dystopian future and tells the story of a refugee mother who holds the key to humanity’s salvation in the war against A.I. but is being hunted by a technological enemy.

Myriad has acquired rights for the action-adventure drama from BoxFly and Ostara Pictures, and will launch the film to buyers at this month’s European Film Market, which runs alongside the Berlin Film Festival. The film will begin production in October.

BoxFly and Ostara Pictures will produce “Unify” with Haydn Pryce-Jenkins and Raimund Berens. Executive producers are BoxFly’s Colin Brown, Ostara Pictures’ Graham Bryan and Myriad Pictures’ Kirk D’Amico and Brian Nitzkin. Shakyra Dowling has come on board as casting director.

From a story by Hopkins, Charlie Macpherson and Jennie Gruner, “Unify” warns of a biological A.

Anyone who's gone through an episode of sleep paralysis knows how briefly terrifying it can be. You're seemingly fully conscious yet totally unable to move your limbs or any other part of your body, with hallucinations frequently involved as well. Fortunately, the creepy phenomenon generally lasts little more than a minute or two. Unfortunately, Slumber, Jonathan Hopkins' horror film "inspired by real events," lasts far longer.

Maggie Q (currently seen as a tough FBI agent on ABC's Designated Survivor) plays the central role of Alice, a doctor specializing in sleep disorders who's haunted by nightmares related to the sleepwalking death...

In this exclusive clip from Jonathan Hopkins’ supernatural thriller Slumber, starring Maggie Q (Divergent), an entire family sleepwalks as a parasitic demon pushes them to murder. It’s incredibly creepy and had me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to see it when Vertical Entertainment releases it on December 1st. Richard Hobley and Hopkins’ screenplay follows “the story […]...

It’s been awhile since we’ve gotten an update on the supernatural thriller Slumber, starring Maggie Q, but now that the film has an official release date, a trailer has arrived as well. Look for director Jonathan Hopkins’ Slumber here in the… Continue Reading →

The post New Slumber Trailer Brings the Original Nightmare to Life appeared first on Dread Central.

Exclusive: Vertical Entertainment inks deal with Goldcrest.

Vertical Entertainment has acquired all Us rights to supernatural thriller Slumber, starring Maggie Q (Divergent).

Director Jonathan Hopkins’ movie is being lined up for a theatrical release in the Us in Q4, 2017.

Richard Hobley and Hopkins’ screenplay charts the story of Alice (Maggie Q), a rationally minded sleep doctor, who is forced to abandon scientific reason and accept a family is being terrorised by a parasitic demon which paralyses victims as they sleep.

The film is produced by The Tea Shop & Film Company’s Mark Lane and James Harris and by Pascal Degove for Goldcrest Films, which handles sales on the project.

Vertical’s 2016 releases included Other People and Under The Shadow.

The 2017 slate includes Blind, starring Alec Baldwin, Demi Moore, and Dylan McDermott; Cate Shortland’s Berlin Syndrome starring Teresa Palmer and Max Riemelt; and Toa Fraser’s 6 Days, starring Abbie Cornish, Jamie Bell, and Mark Strong...

Exclusive: Divergent and Stalker star leads thriller now underway in UK, will also executive-produce; Goldcrest to sell.

The Divergent Series star Maggie Q will lead cast in supernatural thriller Slumber, which has begun principal photography in the UK.

Will Kemp (Van Helsing), Sylvester McCoy (The Hobbit) and William Hope (Sherlock Holmes) co-star in the feature, which marks the feature debut of commercials director Jonathan Hopkins, who has worked on ads for ebay, McDonald’s and Sony.

Goldcrest is shopping at the Efm and will co-finance.

Q will play Alice, a rationally minded sleep doctor, who is forced to abandon scientific reason when she meets a family being terrorised by a parasitic demon known as the ‘Night hag’ which paralyses victims as they sleep.

The rising actress, who made her feature splash in Mission Impossible 3, starred in the Kevin Williamson CBS series Stalker between 2014 and 2015 and was this week announced in new ABC series Designated Survivor with [link=nm...

Exclusive: Cabin In The Woods star joins supernatural thriller.

Cabin In The Woods and House Of Cards star Kristen Connolly is to topline supernatural thriller Slumber, which Goldcrest will be selling at the American Film Market (Afm) (Nov 4-11).

Shooting is due to start at the end of January 2016 on the feature debut of well-known commercials director Jonathan Hopkins with additional casting currently underway.

Slumber tells the story of Alice (Connolly), a rationally-minded sleep doctor, who is forced to abandon scientific reason when confronted by a family that being terrorised by a parasitic demon.

Slumber is written by Hopkins and 2013 Blood List screenwriter Richard Hobley. It will be produced by Mark Lane and James Harris of The Tea Shop & Film Company, who are also producing claustrophobic thriller 47 Meters Down for eOne and Dimension.

Executive producers are Nick Quested and Pascal Degove for Goldcrest Films.

Goldcrest first introduced the project last year and has been showing distributors a teaser...

Jonathan Hopkins is set to direct Slumber based on a script by Richard Hobley and Hopkins. Goldcrest will co-produce supernatural thriller Slumber, alongside The Tea Shop & Film Company’s Mark Lane and James Harris.

Slumber tells the story of Alice, a rationally minded sleep doctor, who is forced to abandon scientific reason and accept a family is being terrorised by a parasitic demon which has existed in every human culture since records began. Paralyzing victims as they sleep, the ‘Night Hag’ is the original Nightmare.

The post More Sleep Paralysis Fears to Come in ‘Slumber’ appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

Exclusive: Feature marks debut of award-winning commercials director.

Goldcrest and The Tea Shop & Film Company are joining forces to produce supernatural thriller Slumber.

The film marks the feature debut of commercials director Jonathan Hopkins who has previously directed campaigns for McDonalds, Sony and eBay.

Slumber, written by Hopkins and 2013 Blood List screenwriter Richard Hobley, will be produced by Mark Lane and James Harris for The Tea Shop, the London-based production outfit behind Tower Block and Cockney vs Zombies.

Executive producers are Goldcrest’s Nick Quested and Pascal Degove. The company will handle sales and tease advance footage shot by the director during the upcoming Afm.

Slumber will tell the story of a sleep doctor who is forced to abandon scientific reason and accept that a family is being terrorised by a parasitic demon, which paralyses victims as they sleep.

Production is scheduled for next spring with casting underway.

Goldcrest Post, under managing...

I've got an off-beat comedy short for you to watch today. It's called "One Man and His Dog," and it centers on an alien who visits earth and finds himself in a very strange situation. The short was directed by Jonathan Hopkins for Future Shorts, and it has some interesting, fun twists that I think you'll get a kick out of. 

A gentle alien visits the troubled planet earth. He is a galactic peace ambassador and mankind's only hope of salvation. After landing in a remote field he is discovered by a dog-loving stranger on the run from the police. So begins a comic tale of mistaken identity and extra-terrestrial tomfoolery.

Here's a funny comedy short for you to watch today called Minimus, and it's set in the time of Gladiators in ancient Rome. The movie was directed by Jonathan Hopkins for Future Shorts. Here's a brief synopsis:

The Colosseum, ancient Rome. Enormous, armour-clad gladiators eagerly await their turn to fight and die an honorable death in front of a bloodthirsty crowd. Except for Minimus, the weediest gladiator in history. Minimus is freaking out big time. But can he overcome his fear and meet a hero's end? 

I thought the short was very amusing and the production value is really solid. It's hilarious watching the little guy freak out through the whole thing. ...

In just one week the fourth annual Telluride Horror Show kicks off in picturesque Telluride, Co, with Ben Ketai’s anticipated trapped-in-a-mine thriller Beneath rounding out the weekend.

Other films in the line-up include All Hallow’s Eve, a Halloween-based anthology that features the return of the demonic Art the Clown, who was first seen in the terrific short film Terrifier; Jesse T. Cook’s subversive and incredibly divisiveSeptic Man; and the World Premiere of Chemical Peel, directed by Grand Junction, Colorado, native Hank Braxtan.

Joining the fest will also be Guest Director Phil Tippett, who will be on hand to present a special sneak preview of Phil Tippett’s Mad God: Part 1, a surrealistic stop-motion nightmare featuring hundreds of detailed puppets. He will also present a special screening of his short film Mutantland.

For more info visit the official Telluride Horror Show website, "like" Telluride Horror Show on...

Browse all the sections of the 57th London Film Festival (Oct 9-20) including the galas, competition titles and individual sections.

Alphabetical list of titles by section including feature premiere status

Wp = Wp

Ep = European Premiere

IP = International Premiere

UK = UK Premiere

Gala’s

Opening Night

Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass (Us) Ep

Closing Night

Saving Mr Banks, John Lee Hancock (Us/UK) Ep

Philomena, Stephen Frears (UK) UK12 Years A Slave, Steve Mcqueen (UK) EPGravity, Alfonso Cuaron (Us) UKInside Llewyn Davis, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (Us) UKLabor Day, Jason Reitman (Us) EPThe Invisible Woman, Ralph Fiennes (UK), EPThe Epic Of Everest, John Noel (UK) WPBlue Is The Warmest Colour, Abdellatif Kechiche (France) UKNight Moves, Kelly Reichardt (Us) UKStranger By The Lake, Alain Guiraudie (France) UKDon Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Us) UKMystery Road, Ivan Sen (Australia) UKOnly Lovers Left Alive, Jim Jarmusch (Us) UKNebraska, Alexander Payne (Us) UKWe Are The Best!, Lukas Moodysson (Sweden) EPFoosball 3D, Juan Jose Campanella (Argentina...

Fantastic Fest Logo 2010Fantastic Fest is moving into its sixth year and the 2010 event will take place in Austin, Texas September 23rd. This year's showings will include over fourty short films, each of which has been listed below. The horror short highlights include the creature feature "Culebra," the exorcist fueled "Deus Irae," the comical "The Legend of Beaver Dam," the dark "La Petit Mort" and undead characterizations in "Only Son." More details on the horror shorts are available below, along with the entire 2010 Fantastic Fest short film lineup.

"5 Minute Dating"

Canada

Director: Peter Hatch.

"A dating service where anyone can find their soul mate" (Fantastic).

"12 Years"

Germany

Director: Daniel Nocke.

"We're not the only species that needs to endure the wrenching pain of relationships gone sour" (Fantastic).

"The Astronomer's Sun"

Director: David Bunting.

"Lovely animated story about a boy and his bear and the secrets of the universe."

"Atomic Hubbub"

UK

Director: Stephen Irwin.

Hot diggity! Fantastic Fest is screening a whole lot of shorts and they're a whole lot of good. We've featured a number of these on Twitch in the past so get searching to turn up a fistful of happiness. Here's the full announcement!

Fantastic Fest 2010 Announces Full Short Films Slate

Over 40 Genre-Bending Shorts From Across The Globe

Set To Premiere At This Year's Festival

Austin, TX---Friday, September 3, 2010--- Fantastic Fest announces the full short films lineup, including over 40 genre-bending selections from around the world.  The festival has amassed the ultimate array of cool, twisted, beautiful, mind-bending, horrifying and hilarious short films. The best short films can pack in more emotion, laughs adrenaline, creativity and flat-out insanity than a million big-budget blockbusters. Or they can show you something so ambitiously horrendous that you beg for mercy. 

Fantastic Fest 2010 Short Film Lineup

5 Minute Dating

Canada, Director: Peter Hatch 

A dating service...

Fantastic Fest has announced its full 2010 short films lineup, including over 40 genre-bending selections from around the world. The festival has amassed the ultimate array of cool, twisted, beautiful, mind-bending, horrifying and hilarious short films. The best short films can pack in more emotion, laughs adrenaline, creativity and flat-out insanity than a million big-budget blockbusters. Or they can show you something so ambitiously horrendous that you beg for mercy.

Fantastic Fest 2010 Short Film Lineup

5 Minute Dating

Canada, Director: Peter Hatch

A dating service where anyone can find their soul mate.

12 Years

Germany, Director: Daniel Nocke

We’re not the only species that needs to endure the wrenching pain of relationships gone sour.

The Astronomer’s Sun

UK, Director: David Bunting

Lovely animated story about a boy and his bear and the secrets of the universe

Atomic Hubbub

UK, Director: Stephen Irwin

Here’s the newest way to enjoy mankind’s impending self-apocalypse.