Genre favorites Jane Levy (Evil Dead) and Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day) will face off against a masked killer in River, Variety has learned.
Max Mattern (“Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy”) and Dane DiLiegro (Prey) also star in the film, which marks the feature debut of writer-director Joshua Giuliano.
It follows three estranged siblings who reunite in their hometown after the death of their father. They set out to scatter his ashes at his favorite spot on a remote river, but when their boat breaks down, the trip devolves into a waking nightmare.
Stranded miles from help with no cell service, they soon realize they’re being stalked by a faceless killer who has emerged from the woods. To survive the night, the siblings must put their long-standing grudges aside and fight together against a ruthless, almost mythic terror.
The survival slasher is expected to be released in theaters in 2026 through IFC followed by streaming on Shudder,
Steven Schneider (Insidious, Paranormal Activity) from Spooky Pictures and Nick Antosca (“Hannibal,” “Chucky”) & Alex Hedlund (As Above, So Below, “Chucky”) from Eat the Cat produce.
Executive producers include Jeffrey Tinnell & Robert Tinnell from Allegheny Image Factory and Matt Brodlie & Jonathan Kier from Upgrade.
“River was six years in the making, a labor of love that culminated in the most rewarding experience of my life,” said Giuliano. “Working with Shudder has been a thrilling collaboration and knowing River will have a theatrical release is a dream come true. I look forward to sharing our terrifying creation with audiences.”
“Josh is a striking new voice in horror,” adds Shudder’s vice president of development and production Nicholas Lazo. “His simultaneously beautiful and horrifying script captivated us from page one, and it’s our privilege to team up with such an immensely talented group of producers, cast and crew to bring his feature debut to life.”
River‘s international rights will be introduced to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.
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