Larry Fessenden, NYC’s independent horror auteur (Habit, Wendigo, The Last Winter), is set to direct Depraved, from his own script. The re-imagining of Mary Shelley’s timeless classic Frankenstein centers on Henry, a field surgeon suffering from PTSD after combat in the Middle East, who creates a man out of body parts in a makeshift lab in Gowanus, Brooklyn. The creature he creates must navigate a strange new world and the rivalry between Henry and his conniving collaborator Polidori.
David Call is set to star alongside Joshua Leonard and Alex Breaux as the monster. The supporting cast has been assembled by casting directors Sig de Miguel and Stephen Vincent.
The film marks a partnership between Fessenden’s long-running, award-winning company Glass Eye Pix (The House of the Devil, Stake Land) and Forager Film Company (Little Sister, Win it All), a film collective run by Joe Swanberg (Easy, Happy Christmas), Peter Gilbert (Hoop Dreams), and Edwin Linker (Golden Exits). The deal was brokered by Andrew Mer, who will serve as Executive Producer.
Depraved is being produced by long-time Glass Eye Pix collaborator Jenn Wexler (producer of the SXSW Grand Jury prize winner and Spirit Award Nominee Most Beautiful Island) and Chadd Harbold (producer of Most Beautiful Island) and Fessenden.
“I am very grateful to have Forager support this deeply personal and visceral take on the Frankenstein story. I’ve been moved by the iconic character since childhood and it is a great thrill to try to put my version on screen.” Fessenden said.
Joe Swanberg of Forager adds: “Larry Fessenden has consistently made groundbreaking, intelligent, socially relevant films in addition to shepherding some of the most important young voices in genre filmmaking. We could not be more excited to collaborate with him on this project. ”
Depraved is set to begin production in February with cinematographers James Siewert (Like Me) and Chris Scotchdopole (The Egg and the Hatchet).
Call is repped by The Gersh Agency and managed by Sandra Chang at Anonymous Content. Leonard is repped by Matt Goldman at Silver Lining Entertainment. Breaux is repped by Katie Britton at MJ Management.
