Terrified is one of the best horror movies of the 2010s, and the director’s next project is on the horizon. When Evil Lurks, from Demian Rugna, has been acquired by streaming service Shudder for international distribution.
The monster movie, about two brothers in a small village who try to stop a man infected by demons from giving to “evil itself”, is Rugna’s fifth directorial effort. Shudder distributed his last film, Terrified – Argentinian title Aterrados – in 2018 to much critical acclaim, and both parties are keen to continue working together. “We are delighted to continue our relationship with the team that brought Terrified to Shudder audiences,” Emily Gotto, VP of acquisitions and co-productions at Shudder, tells Variety. “When Evil Lurks has an incredible script and one we are excited to be partners on from this early stage as a Shudder Original Production.”
The picture, due to start filming in March 2022 for a possible release later in the year, is about two brothers in a small village that discovered a man “infected” by demons who seems about to spawn more evil. In trying to get rid of the monstrosity, they incidentally make everything considerably worse.
“When Evil Lurks will be a double challenge for me and the viewer – complex to stage and also very stark for anyone who watches it,” Rugna says. “I needed to leave the scheme of a contained production to break with everything. This movie will be my relief, a release of disturbing images that have been accumulating in my head over the years like a pressure cooker.”
Fernando Diaz is producing with Rugna, having worked on Terrified. When Evil Lurks will be the debut feature for La Puerta Roja, a new production house from Diaz’s Machaco Films and Roxana Ramos’s Aramos Cine.
“We’re trying to tell a macabre story with an extremely oppressive and realistic atmosphere, but with a frantic rhythm, without abandoning a strong narrative,” Diaz adds in a statement. “A genuine universe that re-signifies the tales of evil and curses.”
Not much else is revealed, however it sounds like When Evil Lurks will be similar to Terrified in that it’s set in Argentina and examines the culture and society of the South American country. We’ll keep you posted – in the meantime, check out the best horror movies of 2021, and you can sign up for Shudder through our affiliate link here.