Indie film icon Larry Fessenden is planning a monster mash — and it’s gearing up to be a graveyard smash.
The horror multi-hyphenate has just wrapped filming of his upcoming film — “Larry Fessenden’s Trauma Or, Monsters All” — and is heading into post-production, Variety can report exclusively. The film serves as a sequel to three other films he has written and directed: 1995’s vampire tale “Habit,” his 2019 “Frankenstein” riff “Depraved” and 2023 werewolf film “Blackout.”
“It was a slightly absurd mission to present my existential take on these monsters in a contemporary mash-up, but I enjoyed the challenge and I hope the film will feel both familiar and provocative,” Fessenden said in a statement, which also shared that he is “a lifelong fan of Universal Monster classics and the powerful messages about us that they can convey.”
The shoot quietly took place on and off in upstate New York during a three-month stretch.
Fessenden himself reprises the role of Sam from “Habit,” while Alex Breaux returns to portray Adam from “Depraved” and Alex Hurt revives his role as Charley from “Blackout.” According to the film’s logline, the story “places the filmmaker’s beloved visions of this trio of ghouls under one roof, offering up an unexpectedly humanist and uncanny tale.”
Also joining the cast are Laëtitia Hollard (“The Pitt”), Aitana Doyle (“If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing”) and returning actors from Fessenden’s past films, including Addison Timlin, James Le Gros, John Speredakos, Cody Kostro, Marc Senter, Rigo Garay, Joseph Castillo-Midyett, Joshua Leonard and Barbara Crampton.
“Larry Fessenden’s Trauma Or, Monsters All” is produced by Fessenden, Gaby Leyner, James Felix McKenney, and Tilson Allen-Merry for Glass Eye Pix. Stirling duBell and Chris Ingvordson also produce, with Edwin Linker as executive producer. Lois Drabkin handled casting on the film, which was shot by cinematographer Sharif El Neklawy.
This film marks Fessenden’s eighth directorial effort, and he has acted in over 100 films.