Cineverse Acquires ‘The Night Driver’ Starring Josh Lucas, Alyssa Milano and David Arquette
Cineverse has acquired North American rights to The Night Driver, a new thriller-horror film starring Josh Lucas, Alyssa Milano and David Arquette, following its premiere at Screamfest.
The company acquired the film from VMI International, adding the road-set thriller to a genre catalog that includes the Terrifier franchise.
Lucas stars as Hurdis Matheson, a traveling pharmaceutical salesman attempting to return home to his wife Cheryl, played by Milano, and their family after surviving an encounter with a psychotic killer.
Hurdis’ escape doesn’t end the threat. The killer begins pursuing him across the country while framing him for a series of murders, turning Hurdis into the target of a nationwide police manhunt. Arquette plays Detective Granger, an investigator attempting to establish Hurdis’ innocence as the pursuit continues.
The cast also includes Charlotte Kirk, Eileen Deetz, Danielle Vasinova and Gina La Piana.
The Night Driver marks the feature directorial debut of Jeremy Weiss. The film was produced by Andre Relis, Jib Polhemus and Jessica Russo.
John Cork wrote the screenplay, which was also published as a graphic novel under the same title. BondIt Media Capital provided financing for the production.
Sean S. Cunningham, the filmmaker and producer closely associated with the Friday the 13th franchise, serves as an executive producer. Matthew Helderman, Grady Craig, Luke Taylor, Daniel Pike, Kevin Glynn, BJ Hendricks and James Rundquist are also executive producers.
Andre Relis, CEO of VMI Worldwide, pointed to Cineverse’s existing position in the horror market when discussing the acquisition.
“Cineverse has established itself as a leading force in the horror space, and we’re thrilled to partner with them on The Night Driver,” Relis said. “Their proven track record with films like the Terrifier franchise and their deep understanding of the genre make them an ideal partner to bring the film to horror audiences.”
Cineverse compared the film’s road-thriller setup to The Hitcher, citing its combination of pursuit, murder and suspense while also highlighting Lucas’ performance and Weiss’ feature debut.
The acquisition follows The Night Driver’s Screamfest premiere and gives Cineverse distribution rights throughout North America.
The deal was negotiated by Jessica Russo, COO of Productions and Acquisitions at VMI, and Cineverse Vice President of Acquisitions Dan Fisher.
Release plans for The Night Driver have not yet been announced.
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