POISONER

POISONER is an up-coming THRILLER/HORROR FILM

currently in development, from AWARD-WINNING

WRITER/DIRECTOR VIKTOR HERRMANN & PRODUCERS

GABY LEYNER, AIMEE KUGE & CARLEY BYERS


The Story

A YOUNG WOMAN secretly invites HER SISTER’S MURDERER TO DINNER, feeds him a LETHAL POISON, then offers the antidote only if he REVEALS the meaning of her sister’s MYSTERIOUS LAST TEXT MESSAGE. He says NO.

LEAD CHARACTERS

KATIE

  • 21

  • Driven but impulsive

  • Riddled with guilt over cutting her sister Hannah out of her life, two years before Hannah’s death

  • She’ll do anything to find out what really happened to her sister

ANDY

  • 38

  • A former fentanyl and heroin addict, he’s been sober for almost a year

  • Charming on the outside, with a vicious anger that comes out when he feels cornered

  • He has a dark secret he’ll keep hidden at any cost

CREATIVE COMPS

  • We will take the CONTAINED TERROR of PANIC ROOM…

  • …the MAN & WOMAN POWER PLAYS of FRESH…

  • …and the PROPULSIVE THRILLS of GOOD TIME.

STRATEGY

Upon completion of the film, our strategy is as follows:

  1. Festival Run to Acquire Initial Distribution

    • Getting into a premiere genre film festival will allow us to get our film in front of the best independent thriller & horror distributors in the world. We have already started attending & forging connections at many of these festivals including Fantasia, Fantastic Fest and the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

  2. Acquire Distribution Deals in Other Territories

    • We will leverage the momentum from acquiring our initial North American distribution deal to acquire other distribution around the world, allowing us to generate revenue from multiple countries simultaneously

  3. Limited Roadshow Theater Run

    • We will leverage the momentum of our festival run to do a small roadshow theater run, this will eventize the movie and satisfy people’s desires for physical gatherings post-pandemic. We will use this eventization to sell merchandise (shirts, posters, pins, etc) both online and at theaters

  4. Release POISONER on Physical Media

    • Following our festival & roadshow awareness campaign, we will release physical media of the movie (4K, Blu-rays, VHS) and of the original score (Vinyl, CD, tapes). These high quality, high cost items are aimed at hardcore movie + thriller/horror fans, which we believe will be the audience we will most likely attract during our initial festival & theater run

  5. License POISONER to a thriller/horror-friendly streaming service

    • Our last stop is streaming. We will get “Poisoner” on a platform such as “Shudder,” “Hulu,” or “Tubi” where a much wider range of horror movie fans will be able to find it.

By leveraging all of these platforms, we will be able to generate revenue from multiple streams.

It is important to note that like any strategy, our approach may shift depending on the circumstances of the film market and other factors at the time the film is ready for distribution

Full PITCH DECK & FINANCIAL PLAN available upon request

poisonermovie@gmail.com

THE TEAM

FAQs

WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR MAKING THIS MOVIE?

Poisoner is currently in development. Our team is working to secure financing for pre-production to begin in mid-late 2026. Following that, our anticipated timeline is as follows:

Pre-Production: August 2026 - October 2026

Principal Photography: November 2026 

Post-Production: December 2026 - April 2027

Film Delivered: May 2027

Tentative Premiere Date: Q1 2028 - Q3 2028, depending on preferred festival acceptance

WHAT IS THE BUDGET?

We are seeking $450,000 for development & production of this independent film.

WHAT IS THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN?

Poisoner will use its film festival run to acquire initial distribution, and generate buzz in the marketplace. We will follow this up with distribution deals in foreign territories, followed by a North American limited engagement roadshow theatrical run.

We will eventize the movie through the press built from our festival run and by creating exciting limited edition merchandising and a killer physical media 4K Blu-Ray release.

Lastly, we will find a home on a horror-centric platform such as Shudder or Hulu.



WHY WILL AUDIENCES BE EXCITED TO WATCH THIS MOVIE?

Woodshedding is The Shining meets A Star is Born (with a healthy twist of Natural Born Killers). It has the musical intensity and intrigue of a band drama paired with the dread and genre-thrills horror fans crave. These two elements offer endless opportunities to connect with multiple audiences. 

Our villains, Molly and Walter Wysk, are a fiery, powerhouse couple viewers won’t be able to look away from. Their twisted dedication to enacting their will on others (all while having a blast doing it) will parallel them with horror icons from Hannibal Lector to Pearl from the X-trilogy.

WHAT IS THE PRODUCTION PLAN?

As a Massachusetts-based production team, we will shoot the film locally using all of our home field advantages. With our connections to the local film scene, we know we can get the best crew members who will ensure the movie will be made at the highest quality.

We also have working relationships with New England-based equipment rental houses, prop establishments, and studios. This history makes us confident we can work with them to secure everything we need at the best possible rates.

Further, we will take advantage of Massachusetts’ highly competitive tax incentives including a 25% production credit, a 25% payroll credit, and a sales tax exemption. We can use these funds as leverage against initial investments made on production.

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

Reach out!  We are currently seeking investors, partners, collaborators and more. We’d love to hear from you! 

Find us at poisonermovie@gmail.com