Independent production studio A24 has recently purchased the North American distribution rights for Peter Strickland’s horror film In Fabric after it debuted at the Cannes festival this year. The movie is expected to add another worthy addition to the studio’s already impressive lineup of artistic modern horror and thriller films.
Gary Dewaard
While A24 isn’t primarily a horror-production studio, Gary DeWaard notes that it’s created some of the most masterful horror films in the last decade that have redefined how audiences experience the genre. Apart from their drama-centric films such as Room, Lady Bird, and Moonlight, A24 is responsible for the American distribution of new horror classics like Hereditary, It Comes at Night, The Witch, Midsommar, and Green Room.
“They’re pushing out some of the most iconic horror films of the decade and creating a library of future cult classics that will stick around for years,” says Gary DeWaard. “In addition, they’ve produced debut directors like Ari Aster that is changing the game for the entire horror genre.”
Ari Aster gained national acclaim with his debut feature film Hereditary last fall, which has been called the greatest horror film since the Exorcist by many. The movie was praised for Aster’s visionary approach to old horror tropes and the powerful and dramatic performances he drew from actors such as Toni Collette and Ann Dowd. His sophomore horror film, released just a year later, was a stark contrast from his first in terms of tone and visuals. The bright, fairytale imagery of Midsommar is one of the main reasons the movie so impressed horror fans and critics alike.
Next up on the trailblazing production house’s list of horror films is Peter Strickland’s In Fabric, which is set to release later this fall. At first glance, In Fabric seems to be one of A24’s riskiest investments yet, as the horror film centers around a killer dress that was purchased in a high-end British retail store.
“When you see the trailer and you get your first impression that this movie is about a killer dress, you don’t know what to think,” says Gary DeWaard. “But when you see [Strickland’s] take on Argento and Lynch approaches horror, it becomes a beautiful arthouse film and the quirky horror elements are just added bonuses.”
A24 bought the North American rights to the horror film following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival and plans a theatrical release this fall. It’s already gaining buzz as the next great horror installment thanks to the director’s visionary style and the knockout performance from lead actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste. In Fabric follows a lonely woman who has unknowingly purchased a cursed dress from a sinister department store in London.
“Whether they’ve intended to or not, A24 has gained an international reputation for modern horror masterpieces, and In Fabric is expected to make as big a mark on the genre as any film they’ve released so far,” says Gary DeWaard.
