Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, has acquired all rights in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. to “Impetigore,” the hit horror movie by Indonesian genre-meister Joko Anwar. After placing in the box office top five at home in 2019, the film had its international debut in Sundance this year.
The film is a horror-thriller about a woman who discovers that her neighbors think she is cursed and want to kill her. Writer-director, Anwar called the film “my love letter to horror movies I grew up with, slashers, ghost stories, wrapped in a tragic family drama not unlike my family.”
The film, which also carried the local title “Perempuan Tanah Jahanam,” stars Tara Basro (“Satan’s Slaves”), Marissa Anita, (HBO Asia’s “Folklore: A Mother’s Love”), Ario Bayu (“Dead Time”), veteran Christine Hakim (“Eat, Pray, Love”), and Asmara Abigail. She previously starred in Anwar’s “Satan’s Slaves” and was last year named by Variety and the International Film Festival & Awards Macao as an Asian Star to Watch.
The acquisition represents a reteaming of Anwar and Shudder after the director’s 2018 supernatural effort “Satan’s Slaves,” was labelled as a Shudder Original, and became one of the network’s biggest hits.
“Joko Anwar is a master of modern horror, and Satan’s Slaves is one of the most loved — and scariest movies on Shudder. We couldn’t wait to work with him again,” said Craig Engler, Shudder GM. He described “Impetigore” as “scary, visceral and darkly sinister.” The film will play out from July 23.
“Impetigore” has a stellar pedigree. It was produced by Shanty Harmayn’s Base Entertainment, prolific Indonesian producer Rapi Films, the Indonesian branch of “Parasite” producer CJ Entertainment and SK Global, which enjoyed global success with “Crazy Rich Asians,” and is beefing up its presence in Southeast Asia.
The deal was negotiated by Emily Gotto on behalf of Shudder, and Pip Ngo of XYZ and Ben Weiss of Paradigm on behalf of the filmmakers. Anwar is represented by CAA, Good Fear and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.