Diving in at the deep end takes on a whole new meaning in the creepy horror Night Swim. If you want creepy thrills to while away this bleak and sodden January then this supernatural tale should do the trick.
With the movie on release this week, here's what you need to know.
What is the story of Night Swim?
A degenerative illness has forced ex-baseball player Ray Waller into early retirement. He, his wife and children move into a new home with a luxurious swimming pool in the backyard.
Before long, Ray and his family suspect the innocuous pool harbours a dark and deadly secret that threatens to overwhelm them all.
Is Night Swim based on the short film of the same name?
Yes, Night Swim is the feature-length spin-off from the 2014 short film of the same name. The short went viral and was seen by Judson Scott, executive vice president at production company Atomic Monster. Scott recommended the short to James Wan, who agreed to purchase the rights for a feature film adaptation.
Watch the short film below.
Who are the filmmakers behind Night Swim?
The makers of the original Night Swim short, Bryce McGuire and Rod Blackhurst, are now steering the feature film. McGuire writes and directs, working from an expanded story treatment co-written with Blackhurst.
"Swimming pools are f*****g haunted," McGuire tells GamesRadar+. "They can be, at least. I’ll say this, in my childhood imagination, the swimming pool contained deep and dark secrets that I was convinced were rising beneath me to grab my skinny flailing legs as a, you know, nine-year-old boy when the lights went out.
"And so it was just that kind of irrational childhood phobia that I felt after watching Jaws and then going into a pool and just being totally convinced that I was not alone – and realizing other people had their own versions of that."
Night Swim is produced by filmmaker James Wan who helped established the grisly Saw franchise as a multi-million dollar horror phenomenon. Wan is also one of the driving forces behind the spooky Conjuring and Insidious movies, having directed several instalments of both franchises.
Wan's co-producer on Night Swim is Jason Blum and the movie is released via the latter's Blumhouse production stable. Blumhouse is a modern-day horror success story and recently scored a $200 million hit with the video game adaptation Five Nights at Freddy's. The company is also responsible for the recently rebooted Halloween trilogy.
Cumulatively, Blumhouse movies have grossed $5 billion. Jason Blum and James Wan have collaborated on the Conjuring and Insidious films and also 2023 hit M3GAN, which dealt with a rogue children's doll companion gone haywire.
Who stars in Night Swim?
Night Swim stars Wyatt Russell, son of horror icon and regular John Carpenter collaborator Kurt Russell. The younger Russell has appeared in the likes of Black Mirror and Apple's recent Godzilla series.
Playing Ray's wife Eve is Kerry Condon who was recently Oscar nominated for The Banshees of Inisherin. Condon delivered a memorably powerful performance in Martin McDonagh's film as the put-upon sister of Colin Farrell's naive, donkey-loving oddball.
When is Night Swim released at Cineworld?
Night Swim is released at Cineworld on January 5th. Click the link below to book your tickets.
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