Never After Dark Lands North American Deal After Festival Wins

A wandering medium faces a deadly force in the horror film Never After Dark.

Magnolia Pictures Acquires SXSW Winner Never After Dark for North American Release

A festival standout is heading to theaters as Magnolia Pictures secures North American rights to Never After Dark, the latest horror feature from Dave Boyle.

The film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival, where it earned the Midnighter Audience Award, and has continued its run with major wins including the Grand Jury Prize at the Overlook Film Festival and the Golden Raven at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival.

Starring Moeka Hoshi (Shōgun), Kento Kaku, Kurumi Inagaki, Mutsuo Yoshioka, Bokuzo Masana, and Tae Kimura, the film follows Airi, a wandering medium who specializes in guiding restless spirits out of the living world.

Her work takes a turn when she is called to an isolated countryside home, where she encounters a presence that challenges her understanding of the supernatural. As she investigates the history of the house, the threat evolves—revealing that the danger may not be limited to the spirit world.

Never After Dark shifts its tension between traditional ghost story elements and a more grounded threat, placing its protagonist in a position where control begins to slip. The structure builds around investigation, escalation, and the uncovering of hidden histories tied to the location.

Produced by Signal 181, the Tokyo-based company founded by Boyle and Kaku following the success of House of Ninjas, the project reflects a continued push toward cross-market storytelling between Japan and the United States.

Magnolia is planning a fall theatrical release in North America, while the film will open in Japan on June 5 through Toho Next.

Following its festival reception, Never After Dark enters the market as one of the more prominent international horror acquisitions of the year.