Following The Seasoning House and Howl, FX maestro Paul Hyett is currently hard at work on Heretiks, his third film as director. Hannah Arterton, Michael Ironside and Clare Higgins star as, respectively, "Persephone", "The Magistrate" and "Reverend Mother". And all three can be spied in this exclusive still, courtesy of Sterling Pictures.
Set during the 17th Century, the film involves a young woman saved from execution and led to a priory to repent her sins. But she soon discovers a greater evil lies within...
"I’ve been wanting to give a classic period tale a modern, harder, stylish edge," says Hyett, best known prior to his own directing career for his work with Neil Marshall on the likes of The Descent. "Heretiks is the perfect vehicle to do this. It’s both a richly-layered medieval character piece and a wonderful chance to showcase the latest in visual effects and contemporary cinematography while being blessed with some of my favourite actors."
"It's looking fab!" producer Michael Riley enthuses to Empire. "Ironside is awesome; Paul's improving as director with every picture he makes; and the story is a very cool old-fashioned supernatural creepy chiller leavened with more than a handful of trademark Hyett how-the-fuck-did-they-do-that gore moments!"
Production began in Wales on December 3 and is set to wrap on Christmas Eve. A release is pencilled in for sometime in 2016: it's probably a safe bet to expect Heretiks at FrightFest in August.