The Dire Wolf: Doom director Andrzej Bartkowiak takes the helm of supernatural thriller

Andrzej Bartkowiak got his start in the entertainment industry working as a cinematographer, working on such films as Terms of Endearment, Prizzi’s Honor, Twins, Falling Down, Speed, Species, Dante’s Peak, The Devil’s Advocate, U.S. Marshals, Lethal Weapon 4, Thirteen Days, and Trespass. But back at the turn of the century he also got into directing, working mainly in the action genre: Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the Grave, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Maximum Impact, Dead Reckoning. His most well-known movie, for better or worse, may be the action horror video game adaptation Doom. Now Deadline has announced that Bartkowiak is treading back into horror territory, as he has signed on to direct the supernatural thriller The Dire Wolf.

Coming our way from Steelyard Pictures, The Dire Wolf has a screenplay written by Ry Cook and is expected to start filming in New Mexico soon, aiming for a 2024 release. The story centers on Hank Whitmore, a sharp and stubborn New Mexican sheriff who aligns with the Navajo Nation when a series of supernatural events threatens his family, his town, and his way of life.

The film is being produced by Leone Marucci alongside Tetrad Studios’ Roy Scott Macfarland, Legacy Media Ventures’ Jeffrey Katz, and Randy Mendelsohn. Matthew Coates and Kenneth Heilfron serve as executive producers.

Marucci provided the following statement: “American cinema has long wrestled with our native culture’s spiritual connection to the natural world. The extinct Dire Wolf was [once] indigenous to North America. Today the wolf spirit symbolizes trust of intuition, guardianship, and the courage to walk one’s own path. We’re thrilled to enlist such a renowned filmmaker to bring The Dire Wolf to the screen.“

How does The Dire Wolf sound to you? Are you interested in seeing a new supernatural thriller from the director of the Doom movie? Share your thoughts on Andrzej Bartkowiak taking the helm of this project by leaving a comment below.

I can’t say I’ve been blown away by any of the Bartkowiak directorial efforts that I’ve seen, but I’m interested in seeing how The Dire Wolf is going to turn out.