Magnolia Turning ‘Red’

Downright horror meets patient eloquence in the upcoming release Red. THR reports that the thriller, directed by Trygve Allister Diesen and Lucky McKee (May, The Woods), has been picked up by Magnolia Pictures. The pic premiered at Sundance earlier this year and stars Brian Cox as an elderly man seeking revenge for the thoughtless murder of his dog by teenagers. Tom Sizemore, Robert Englund and Amanda Plummer co-star.

The thriller was initiated by McKee then finely finished by Norweigen helmer Diesen, who “allows events to stack up, keeping you both intrigued and questioning each character’s actions and motives” (John Cooper, NFI). Despite its harsh subject matter, “Red demonstrates a real elegance in its commitment to a relatively straightforward story, allowing the characters’ emotions to come to a slow boil” (Peter Debruge, Variety).

The pic is based off of the novel of the same name by horror fiction writer Jack Ketchum. While the author has been praised by horror monarch Stephen King, Ketchum’s literature has also been described as violent pornography. The literary version of Red may be considered crass by some, but Diesen’s interpretation for the screen is anything but.

Magnolia will release the pic exclusively for HDNet Ultra VOD, with a theatrical release later this summer.