When Darkness Loves Us
Project Summary
When Darkness Loves Us has wrapped production in New Zealand and is now in post-production. Directed by James Ashcroft, the horror feature is adapted from Elizabeth Engstrom's cult 1980s novella and stars Emilia Clarke in the lead role, alongside Victoria Pedretti, Marlon Williams, and Natascha McElhone. The film is produced by Desray Armstrong, with executive producers including Ant Timpson, Ashcroft, and Clarke. Ashcroft co-wrote the screenplay with Hayley Sproull and Eli Kent. Bleecker Street acquired worldwide distribution rights excluding Australia and New Zealand, where Umbrella Entertainment and Aotearoa New Zealand will handle releases respectively. Cornerstone has boarded international sales and will introduce the film to buyers at the Cannes Film Market in May 2026. The project was financed by the New Zealand Film Commission, Images & Sound, and the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate. A U.S. theatrical release is planned for 2027.
Production Contacts— Members Only
Cast & Crew
Directing
| Director | James Ashcroft |
Writing
| Writer | James Ashcroft |
| Writer | Hayley Sproull |
| Writer | Eli Kent |
Production
| Producer | Desray Armstrong |
| Executive Producer | Ant Timpson |
| Executive Producer | James Ashcroft |
| Executive Producer | Emilia Clarke |
| Executive Producer | Katherine Bridle |
| Executive Producer | Kent Sanderson |
| Executive Producer | Tyler DiNapoli |
| Executive Producer | Ari Harrison |
| Executive Producer | Jasmin McSweeney |
Contact details for each person are available to members.
Members Only
Join FTIA and get full access to 11,000+ active projects filming near you.