Fresh off a successful world premiere at London’s FrightFest, Dark Sky Films has announced having nabbed the North American distribution rights for Steven Pierce’s action-driven horror film HERD, which marks his directorial debut. The film was co-written by Pierce and James Allerdyce and stars Ellen Adair (Trick, Cryptid), Mitzi Akaha (Bashira), Jeremy Holm (The Ranger, Brooklyn 45, Black Mold), Amanda Fuller (Starry Eyes, All the Creatures Were Stirring) among others. The film, which premiered on IMAX at Cineworld to a sold-out audience in London’s Leicester Square, will arrive in cinemas and on VOD from October 2023.
The distribution arrangement was negotiated by Greg Newman, Executive Vice President of Dark Sky Films, and Bill Straus of Bridge Independent.
HERD tells the story of a woman trying to outrun a past complicated by an abusive father. When she and her wife end up trapped between a zombie outbreak and warring militia groups in her hometown, she is forced to fight for both love and survival.
Additional cast includes Dana Snyder (Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm), Corbin Bernsen (The Dentist, Tales From the Hood), & Timothy V. Murphy (Tragedy Girls). The film is produced by Pierce, Allerdyce, Matt Mundy, Lori Kay & Bret Carr on behalf of Framework Productions, with cinematography by Brennan Full, production design by Michael David, and costume design by Lauren Lau, with a score by Alexander Arntzen.
Dark Sky Films EVP Greg Newman said, “Steven Pierce has crafted a film that brilliantly ratchets up the tension and puts a fresh spin on the zombie outbreak subgenre. We’re thrilled to be releasing HERD under the Dark Sky Films banner this fall.”
Pierce said, “Dark Sky has been a strong player in the cultivating some of the most unique horror films available for some time and I am so pleased that HERD will be taking a place alongside their awesome lineup of titles.”
