GENSOCIAL
The Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan must once again face his fears in the Sam Raimi-produced horror movie The Unholy. Set to be released on Good Friday next month, the movie is co-produced by Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Evan Spiliotopoulos, with Andra Ajemian and Romel Adam executive producing. Spiliotopoulos wrote and directed the feature. You can watch the official trailer for the movie below.
Per the official logline, The Unholy follows Alice, a “young hearing-impaired girl who, after a supposed visitation from the Virgin Mary, is inexplicably able to hear, speak and heal the sick. As word spreads and people from near and far flock to witness her miracles, a disgraced journalist (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) hoping to revive his career visits the small New England town to investigate. When terrifying events begin to happen all around, he starts to question if these phenomena are the works of the Virgin Mary or something much more sinister.”
Along with Morgan, The Unholy stars Katie Aselton (Legion), William Sadler (Bill & Ted Face the Music), Cricket Brown (Dukeland), Diogo Morgado (MacGyver), and Cary Elwes (Saw, The Princess Bride). The story is based on the James Herbert book Shrine.
The Walking Dead fans will know Morgan best for his ongoing role as Negan on the series, having made his debut on the show at the end of season 6. His real-life wife Hilarie Burton Morgan will play Negan’s wife Lucille in the upcoming prequel episode, “Here’s Negan,” revealing the backstory behind the dastardly character. The episode will air just days after The Unholy premieres, with AMC scheduling “Here’s Negan” for Sunday, April 4.
Morgan is also known for playing John Winchester, the father of the Winchester brothers played by Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, on the long-running sci-fi series Supernatural. His other roles include Denny Duquette on Grey’s Anatomy, the Comedian in Watchmen, and Jason Crouse in The Good Wife. The actor has also shot a role for the upcoming movie The Integrity of Joseph Chambers.
The filmmaker, Evan Spiliotopoulos, has also written the script for the upcoming G.I. Joe spinoff movie Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. He has also worked on the screenplays for Charlie’s Angels, Beauty and the Beast, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, and Hercules.
Shrine, the book that The Unholy is based on}, was first published in 1983. It explores themes of religious ecstacy, mass hysteria, demonic possession, faith healing, and Catholicism. Morgan’s character along with others from the movie also appeared in the original story. The movie adaptation has been in the works for years, with Screen Gems and Sam Raimi teaming up for the project back in 2018. Although the origins author, James Herbert, passed away in 2013, the writer was once praised by Stephen King. The legendary horror author once said of Herbert’s books that they were “best sellers because many readers (including me) were too horrified to put them down.”
The Unholy will be released in theaters on Good Friday, April 2, 2021. It is rated PG-13 for violent content, terror, and some strong language. The official trailer comes to us from Sony Pictures Entertainment.
