Badlands' 'Dangerous Games' Wraps; Altitude Closes 16 Deals
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Badlands, the genre label launched by former Sony exec Scott Strauss with Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, wrapped production on supernatural horror "Dangerous Games To Play," directed by Ángel Gómez Hernández from a script by Evan Spiliotopoulos (The Pope's Exorcist)
- Plot centers on four high school students who discover a book of supernatural games that contact the other side, only to realize the rituals are designed by a dark entity to claim their souls
- Cast confirmed as Lucas Dutra, Sara Sedran, Danija Areande, and Shaun O'Callaghan as the teens, joined by horror veteran Javier Botet (It); the film is based on Lucia Peters' novel Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark
- Altitude has closed international deals across 16 territories, including ANZ (Umbrella), France (SND), Germany (Wildbunch), India & Malaysia (MVP), Indonesia (PT Prima), Spain (Youplanet), Taiwan (Vie Vision), Latin America (B F Distribution), and the Philippines (Pioneer)
- Altitude will present first footage at the upcoming Cannes market and continue selling in remaining territories
- Backed by Andrew Schwartzberg and Jon Shiffman's Renegade Capital; Badlands' debut feature Crawlers — also directed by Gómez and starring Matilda Lutz — is set for U.S. release on October 2 via Roadside Attractions and Saban Films
Why it matters: Badlands lands 16 territory presales on its second feature before any footage has been shown, giving the fledgling genre label a fast commercial proof-of-concept on top of its October theatrical debut with *Crawlers* from the same director.
