The latest psychedelic horror flick lurks just around the corner, promising to send audiences on a mind-bending trip they will not soon forget.
Production has begun in New York on “The Guide,” a psychological thriller that will plunge viewers into the unsettling world of psilocybin mushroom retreats.
Abigail Cowen leads the cast as a young woman seeking healing from past traumas. She places herself in the hands of a charismatic psychedelic therapy guide, played by James Badge Dale. As suspicions arise about the guide’s true motives and colours, a full-blown psychedelic nightmare begins to unfold. Little is currently known about the plot’s spooky specifics.
Dale, known for roles in 13 Hours and the cult horror hit The Empty Man, is bringing his intense screen presence to the questionable guide/self-professed shaman.
“This psychedelic therapy thriller is designed to be a visceral inward journey,” said director Inon Shampanier in a statement sent to Deadline this week, “and I am thrilled to go on this journey with the incredibly talented James Badge Dale, Abigail Cowen and Edouard Philipponnat [another actor, role currently unknown].”
Star actress Cowen delivers a strong fit for this genre. She previously captivated audiences as the witch Dorcas in Netflix Inc‘s (NASDAQ: NFLX) (ETR: NFC) Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and appeared in Stranger Things. She also starred in the recent horror film The Ritual. Her experience with eerie, supernatural territory adds intrigue to her latest venture into psychological and psychoactive dread.
Shampanier aims to tap directly into growing cultural fascination with psychedelic therapy through this latest cinematic endeavour. It is poised to twist those wellness trends into something far darker for audiences to enjoy.
The Guide follows in the footsteps of other psilocybin-infused horror tales. Ari Aster’s Midsommar (2019) turned a Swedish mushroom trip into a daylight fright. Others like A Field in England (2013) and Shroomz (2007) have also explored the terrifying possibilities of bad fungi trips on screen.
With cameras rolling now, The Guide positions itself as a fresh addition to this trippy subgenre of horror.
Read more: Louis Vuitton’s new psychedelic wristwatch turns heads
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