IFC Midnight and AGC Studios announced today that IFC Midnight is acquiring U.S. rights to DEMONIC, written and directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium, Chappie), from AGC Studios. Blomkamp first earned critical acclaim across the board for his debut feature and sci-fi allegory on immigration District 9 before going on to further success with such films as Elysium and Chappie. DEMONIC was co-financed and co-produced by AGC Studios and STABILITi Studios last summer and marks Blomkamp’s fourth film. Joining Blomkamp is Oats Studios collaborator, editor Austyn Daines. The film stars up-and-comers Carly Pope (Elysium), Chris William Martin (The Age of Adaline, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, TV’s The Vampire Diaries), and Michael Rogers (TV’s Siren, TV’s The Blacklist, TV’s Supernatural). Neill Blomkamp, Mike Blomkamp of STABILITi Studios, Stuart Ford and Linda McDonough of AGC Studios are on board as producers. Serving as executive producers are AGC’s Miguel Palos Jr., Alastair Burlingham, Charlie Dombek, Viktor Muller, and Steven St. Arnaud. IFC Midnight will release the film on August 20, 2021.
The film was also a strong seller internationally during EFM including deals with VVS in Canada, Metropolitan in France, Koch Media in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy, NonStop Entertainment AB in Scandinavia, Signature Entertainment in the UK and Ireland, Top Film in CIS and Baltics, Just Entertainment BV in Benelux, Odeon in Greece, Blitz Group in ex-Yugoslavia, Monolith in Poland, Reset Collective in Australia and New Zealand, Selim Ramia & Co. in the Middle East, NOS in Portugal, Movie Cloud in Taiwan, and Sahamongkolfilm in Thailand.
In DEMONIC, a young woman unleashes terrifying demons when supernatural forces at the root of a decades old rift between mother and daughter are ruthlessly revealed in this horror-thriller from director Neill Blomkamp.
Arianna Bocco, President of IFC Films said, “Neil Blomkamp exploded onto the filmmaking scene with DISTRICT 9 and has made his mark by creating films that challenge and subvert the genre. It’s exciting to work together on this highly anticipated new vision, and be immersed in yet another world terrifyingly similar to our own.”
Said AGC Chairman and CEO Ford, “IFC Midnight is an ideal brand for Neill’s first foray into supernatural terror to be released theatrically and in other media and we’re very confident in the job that Arianna and her team are going to do.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by IFC Films’ President Arianna Bocco and Director of Acquisitions Aijah Keith with ICM Partners and SVP of Business and Legal Affairs Anant Tamirisa for AGC Studios and STABILITi Studios.
ABOUT IFC MIDNIGHT
Established in 2000 and based in New York City, IFC Films is a leading U.S. distributor of independent film. Its unique distribution model makes independent films available to a national audience by releasing them in theaters as well as on digital and cable’s Video On Demand (VOD) platform, reaching nearly 50 million homes.
Upcoming releases include Josh Ruben’s WEREWOLVES WITHIN (6/25) and Hannah Bergholm’s HATCHING. Some of the company’s successes have included Andy Nyman’s critical darling GHOST STORIES, André Øvredal’s box-office success THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE, Peter Strickland’s modern giallo BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO, Dave Franco’s THE RENTAL, Natalie Erika James’ RELIC, and the award-winning and cultural phenomenon THE BABADOOK. IFC Midnight is a sister label to IFC Films, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.
