“Your Monster”, a film that defies traditional categorization, has secured North American distribution rights with Vertical. This innovative project, which stars Melissa Barrera (“Scream” 2022, “Scream VI”), is described as a horror rom-com musical, a rare blend.
The film centers around the character Laura Franco, portrayed by Barrera, a soft-spoken actor navigating the aftermath of a personal and professional crisis. After being dumped by her longtime boyfriend while recovering from surgery, Laura retreats to her childhood home. Her situation worsens when she discovers her ex is staging a musical they developed together. Amidst these life-altering events, Laura encounters a monster with whom she forms an unexpected bond. This connection inspires her to chase her dreams, open her heart, and embrace her inner rage.
Melissa Barrera shared her excitement about the project, stating, “Your Monster is a horror rom-com musical. My character is a musical theatre actor, so there’s a musical in the movie. There’s a lot of singing and dancing in it. And it’s like a rom-com with elements of horror. It’s scary at times, and really funny at times. And it’s everything that I love in a movie combined into one.”
The film marks Caroline Lindy’s feature directorial debut, who also penned the screenplay based on her 2019 short film of the same name. The cast includes Tommy Dewey as the monster, with Edmund Donovan, Meghann Fahy, and Kayla Foster in supporting roles.
Upon acquiring the distribution rights, Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We were captivated by Caroline’s film at Sundance and thrilled it has made a home here at Vertical. Marking her directorial feature debut, she has created a fantastic, fresh, genre-defying film that perfectly balances the mix of comedy, romance, and horror topped off with a dash of musical theater that will captivate and delight audiences later this year.”
Caroline Lindy also commented on the partnership with Vertical, “I’m beyond thrilled to collaborate with Vertical on the release of Your Monster. Their strategies and commitment to innovative distribution aligns perfectly with our movie, and their passion for the film and desire to support my first feature means the world to me. The Sundance crowds were incredible, and I’m excited that more audiences will soon have a chance to see Your Monster in theaters and beyond.”
“Your Monster” promises to be a unique film that blends comedy, romance, horror, and musical theater in a way that has rarely been seen before. With its innovative approach and the passionate team behind it, the film is poised to offer a new experience to audiences.