Oscar winner Davine Joy Randolph and Oscar nominee Demián Bichir team up for an action thriller involving a murderous Mexican cartel, possessed children, and supernatural forces.
“Hold the Devil,” directed by Alex de la Iglesia (“Day of the Beast”) and written by Joe Barton (“The Black Dove,” “The Ritual”), will be released at the Cannes market by Protagonist Pictures, which handles international sales.
Described as an “explosive blend of haunted house horror and home invasion intensity,” the film is produced by Two and Two Pictures (I Came By, Hallow Road), Fifth Season, and Poughkeepsie Films (My Fault, El Bar).
According to the synopsis, in “Embrace the Devil,” police officer Sara Miall (Randolph) and security guard Henry Campos (Bichir) arrive at an abandoned Texas border freak show to investigate a trespassing incident, only to discover an injured mother and her 10-year-old son, Gio, who have taken refuge after crossing the Mexican border. However, when Marcus, the leader of the murderous cartel, arrives and demands that Gio be handed over, it is clear that Gio is no ordinary child. He harbors dark supernatural powers that Marcus desires for himself. Trapped inside the house as more gang members arrive and threaten violence, Sara and Campos are forced to choose between letting the boy go or fighting for their lives.
“I was drawn to this project because of the opportunity to combine action and horror in a way that felt both cinematic and deeply human,” Iglesia said. “I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Demián Bichir and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, two actors with extraordinary presence and emotional intelligence. In this film, two demons coexist under one roof, and you never know which one will strike first.”
Lucan To and Brian Sonderman will produce alongside The Fifth Season at Two &Two Pictures, with Carolina Bang producing at Pokeepsie Films. Protagonist Pictures’ Dave Bishop, James Pugh and George Hamilton will serve as executive producers. Corin Hardy will also serve as executive producer. CAA Media Finance represents domestic rights.
“Alex is a filmmaker with a proven track record of making bold, impactful films, and with ‘Hold the Devil’ he takes that to the next level, delivering elevated genre storytelling with broad commercial appeal,” said Protagonist CEO Bishop. “Holding the Devil, starring Academy Award winner Davine Joy Randolph and Academy Award nominee Demián Bichir, is a muscular, high-concept action thriller. Let’s unleash carnage.”
Davine Joy Randolph and Demián Bichir are represented by CAA.
