History of Evil trailer: Paul Wesley, Jackie Cruz horror film reaches Shudder this month

Two years have gone by since it was announced that Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries) had signed on to star in the horror thriller History of Evil for writer/director Bo Mirhosseni. At the time, Stephanie Beatriz was attached to star in the film as well, but when she had to drop out of the project, she was replaced by Jackie Cruz of Orange Is the New Black and Tremors: Shrieker Island. It’s been a wait, but History of Evil is now ready to make its Shudder streaming debut on February 23rd, and with that date just a few weeks away a trailer for the film has arrive online. You can check it out in the embed above.

History of Evil marks the feature debut of Mirhosseni, who has previously directed shorts, music videos, and a short documentary. The film will show us what happens when a family on the run from a corrupt state takes refuge in a safe house with an evil past – a terrifying last stop on a near-future Underground Railroad. 

A collaboration between XYZ Films and Two & Two Pictures, History of Evil is being produced by Under The Shadow and Wounds director Babak Anvari, Lucan Toh, and Jake Siegel. Wesley serves as executive producer. Two & Two Pictures’ Anvari and Toh described History of Evil as a “deeply terrifying and unique horror film”.

People informs us that Cruz’s character is Alegre Dyer, “who is part of a group of citizens called The Resistance that fights back against oppression. She breaks out of political prison and reunites with her husband Ron, played by Wesley, and their daughter Daria, played by Murphee Bloom (Hit Man).”

Wesley said History of Evil is “not only a genuinely terrifying thriller, but it is also a story that is deep in metaphor and very much a cautionary tale — and quite relevant to today. Personally, I feel that the best genre films are those that provoke thought and have deeper meaning, and our film History of Evil very much accomplishes that.” 

What did you think of the History of Evil trailer? Will you be watching this movie when it reaches Shudder later this month? Let us know by leaving a comment below.