Strand Releasing has acquired the North American theatrical rights to writer-director Adam Sherman’s “Vampire of the Velvet Lounge.” The horror film will be released exclusively in theaters on March 20th by an independent distributor in select markets including New York and Los Angeles.
“Vampires of the Velvet Lounge” follows a group of enchanting vampires from the Deep South who prey on lonely single people they find through dating apps, seducing and slaughtering them in order to stay young. But when they “swipe right on the wrong profile of a cunning undercover vampire hunter and his emotionally stunted allies, the hunt descends into hilariously horrifying chaos,” the official logline reads. “Blood flies, fangs pierce flesh, bars drenched in glitter, green fairy wings sprout, and fang-filled frenzy erupts into dreams of grindhouse bloodshed, terrible decisions, and fashionably deadly carnage.”
Mena Suvari, Dichen Lachman, Stephen Dorff, India Eisley, Tom Berenger, Rosa Salazar, and Tyrese Gibson lead the Sherman cast. An award-winning writer, director, and producer, he is best known for his critically acclaimed films including Wristcutters: A Love Story, She’s Just a Shadow, and This Game Called Murder. His films Happiness Lands and Crazy Eyes were previously released by Strand.
“Adam Sherman is exactly the kind of filmmaker we want to champion: bold, original, and fearless,” Strand Releasing Co-President Marcus Hu said in a statement. “His ability to blend horror, satire, black comedy and mystery with propulsive style and action is truly unique. Vampires of the Velvet Lounge is our third collaboration with Adam, and we’re excited to unleash his fresh spin on the vampire myth for audiences to see in theaters.”
Producers on the project include Marcus Inglefield and George Lee of Storyscope Films and co-producer Noemi Santo of Adam Sherman Films.
“Teaming up with Marcus and John again on The Strand felt like coming home, and I’m grateful for their continued support of my films,” Sherman said in a statement. “This is a vampire story inspired by the little-known and horrifying legend of Elisabeth Báthory, a 16th-century Hungarian countess who was rumored to bathe in the blood of virgins to stay young. We set out to create something wild, disturbing, darkly funny, and made for the big screen. It’s brought to life thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew who are willing to push all boundaries, and we’re thrilled to finally be able to share it.”
The North American deal for Vampires of the Velvet Lounge was brokered on behalf of Adam Sherman Films by Brian O’Shea of The Exchange and Patrick Arach of Longo & Arach, negotiating with John Gerrans, co-president of Strand Releasing. The exchange handles all regions except North America.
