Classic ghost fiction keeps getting new life on screen, and this indie is a good example. The Thing in the Hall comes from a first-time feature director, which means it has no franchise to lean on. Its cast mixes a familiar horror name with a few younger faces. It’s also now shooting, so audiences may see it sooner than most announced projects.
The Cast and Production
Milo Hutton (The Night Agent), Booboo Stewart (the Twilight franchise), and KaDee Strickland (The Grudge) are set to star, Deadline reports. The film is now shooting in Los Angeles. It marks the feature debut of writer-director Logan Kishi, whose company Darkbox Entertainment is producing the indie horror movie.
The Story
E. F. Benson’s 1912 short story inspires the film. Benson wrote atmospheric and often satirical ghost stories. First, Stewart plays Francis Assheton, a psychology graduate student. He moves into the isolated home of his longtime friend Louis Fielder (Hutton). Then Louis introduces him to his spiritualism experiments. As a result, their shared curiosity takes a turn that draws them into something neither fully understands. Meanwhile, Strickland plays Claire Winter, a defense attorney. She investigates Francis’s account after a fatal incident.
The Stars
Strickland has genuine horror credentials. She landed significant roles in Anacondas and The Grudge, both from 2004. During that period, she also earned the label of horror fandom’s “newest scream queen.” Hutton, a recent SCAD graduate, appeared on Netflix’s The Night Agent. Next, he will appear in Jackson May’s indie drama Degrees. Stewart played Seth Clearwater in the Twilight films and Warpath in X-Men: Days of Future Past. He also starred in the horror film Those Who Walk Away.
No release date or distributor has surfaced yet.