The Southern gothic
Deadline is reporting that Mud, Take Shelter and The Bikeriders director, Jeff Nichols, has started production on his new horror film King Snake in Arkansas. The cast includes Margaret Qualley, Drew Starkey and Michael Shannon. The film follows a “young couple (Qualley and Starkey), who inherit a farm in rural Arkansas and must conquer the demons, both physical and metaphysical, that haunt its legacy. Forces of good and evil collide in a terrifying film where real-world challenges crash headlong into other worldly creatures and myths.”
A startling new vision
Nichols reunites with the production company, FilmNation, for this new project. Chief Creative Officer, Stacey Snider, is glowing about King Snake being in production and stated, “Jeff’s startling new vision of supernatural forces is as extraordinary as it is enthralling, and we can’t wait for this incredible story to bewitch and captivate audiences around the world.”
Nichols show his equal enthusiasm in collaborating with the studio by adding, “FilmNation has been an integral partner in my career. My films have embraced genre in the past, but I hope to push this approach further with King Snake to create something terrifying and beautiful. Making films is a privilege, and our team is working to create a piece of cinema worthy of FilmNation’s continued support.”
Essential Shannon
In more of a show of loyalty, Nichols also always tries to include Michael Shannon in every film he does, whether it would be as the lead or as a supporting character. This is because the director has said he owes his career to Shannon. “He is not just a collaborator; he has become family to me. I owe my career to Michael Shannon. I learned how to direct from directing Michael Shannon,” he said. “From the outside, it can feel kind of cute, but it’s not. I love that guy, and I want him in movies because he’s the greatest actor in the world. And if you’re a director and you have access to the greatest actor in the world, it makes sense that you would call him all the time.“
Several months ago, Shannon mentioned that Nichols was having trouble securing funding for his next project. Thankfully, FilmNation stepped up, and King Snake is now moving forward.
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