A family takes on a primeval species in John R. Leonetti’s The Silence

I never have very high hopes when I check out a movie directed by John R. Leonetti (who has given us MORTAL KOMBAT: ANNIHILATION, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT 2, ANNABELLE, WOLVES AT THE DOOR, and WISH UPON), as I don't tend to enjoy them very much. He keeps making movies that sound intriguing, though, so I keep watching them… and sometimes my low expectations allow me to get more enjoyment of the movies than I might have otherwise. I actually had some fun watching WISH UPON.

Leonetti's latest directorial project is THE SILENCE, and it has a cast and plot that guarantee I'll be watching this one, too.

Stanley Tucci, Kiernan Shipka (pictured above in THE BLACKCOAT'S DAUGHTER), John Corbett, and ANNABELLE: CREATION's Mirando Otto star in the film, which is based on a 2015 novel by Tim Lebbon. The story follows 

a family struggling to survive in a world terrorized by a deadly, primeval species who have bred for decades in the pitch darkness of a vast underground cave system, hunting only with their acute hearing. As the family seeks refuge in a remote haven where they can wait out the invasion, they start to wonder what kind of world will remain when they’re ready to emerge. 

Shipka's character is "a deaf girl who provides the only hope of survival." Previous reports on this project revealed that the deadly creatures are "a lethal bat species called Vesps."

THE SILENCE was produced by Robert Kulzer, Alexandra Milchan, and Scott Lambert, with Constantin CEO Martin Moszkowicz serving as executive producer.

Global Road Entertainment announced that they have acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the film and are planning to release it sometime in 2018.