Shudder Buys Gothic Thriller ‘Honey Bunch’ Ahead of Toronto Film Festival Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

Shudder has acquired “Honey Bunch,” the new psychological gothic thriller from filmmaking duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, ahead of its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Written and directed by Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli, “Honey Bunch” stars Grace Glowicki (“Dead Lover”), Ben Petrie (“Blackberry”), Jason Isaacs (“The White Lotus”), Kate Dickie (“The Witch”), India Brown (“Invasion”) and Julian Richings (“Beau is Afraid”). The deal includes rights in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. “Honey Bunch” is slated to debut on Shudder in 2026.

The film is Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli’s sophomore feature following their debut “Violation,” which was released by Shudder and premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival before screening at Sundance and SXSW. After its world premiere at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, “Honey Bunch” will make its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest later this month.

In “Honey Bunch,” Diana (Glowicki) wakes from a coma with fragmented memories. She and her husband (Petrie) seek experimental treatments at a remote facility. As the procedures intensify, their marriage is put to the test and Diana begins to question her husband’s true motives.

“We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Shudder with the release of ‘Honey Bunch.’ The film reveals a different side to us as filmmakers, and Shudder are exactly the right partners to present it to audiences,” said Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli. “’Honey Bunch’ celebrates the terrifying, painful, yet intimately rewarding struggles of what it takes to sustain a relationship. It’s a twisted love story. Not a fairytale. We can’t wait for viewers to experience our weird, macabre film in the way only Shudder can deliver.”

“’Honey Bunch’ delivers high-stakes suspense while surprising with a tender love story that demonstrates a skilled balancing act,” said Emily Gotto, SVP of Shudder acquisitions and production. “Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli have proven they know how to deliver unforgettable storytelling, and with their sophomore feature they deliver an experience that’s both emotional and entertaining, anchored by incredible performances. We can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”

“Honey Bunch” is produced by Becky Yeboah, Sims-Fewer & Mancinelli for Cat People and Rhombus Media. Executive Producers include Niv Fichman, Fraser Ash, Kevin Krikst, Ben Petrie, Tenille Shockey, François Dagenais, William Woods, Aram Tertzakian, Nate Bolotin, Maxime Cottray, Todd Brown, Adrian Love and Mike O’Leary. XYZ Films financed the film in conjunction with IPR.VC and is handling worldwide licensing outside of Canada. The deal was negotiated by Gotto for Shudder with Nate Bolotin and Pip Ngo for XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.