New Irish movie gets Hollywood treatment

A MOVIE being made by three filmmakers from Dun Laoghaire is getting the star treatment in Hollywood.

‘Midnight Man’ is the first Irish feature film in 106 years of Irish cinema to get an American remake.

This new version of the Irish horror will star icons of the genre, including Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund and Lin Shaye. The original was written, directed and produced by three filmmakers from Dun Laoghaire, Lorcan Kavanagh, Rob Kennedy and Edward Kennedy.

 Speaking about the remake Hollywood producer Cassian Elwes said: “When I saw Rob Kennedy’s film, I immediately thought this could translate very well into an American picture and I’m very excited with the result.”

It all started in 2012 when the three Irish filmmakers produced an independent Irish horror movie and called it Midnight Man.

The film had a successful festival run having been shown at Screenfest and Horrorthon, among others.

It was at this time that it was seen by prolific film producer Cassian Elwes in LA.

After viewing it Cassian bought the North American rights and the remake rights to the movie.

Now, in 2016, the remake has wrapped in Canada and is currently in post-production in LA. 

According to one of Midnight Man’s writers/directors, Rob Kennedy: “When we were hard at work on our first feature film, we never imagined that Hollywood producer Cassian Elwes, who produced the Oscar winning film ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ would see it, let alone want to remake it.

“Then, when we found out that we’re the first Irish feature to get an American remake, it was the icing on the cake.

“We’re very excited to see their take on our horror film, and we hope it will shine a light on independent Irish cinema.”

Best known for playing Freddy Krueger in the ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ franchise, the American supernatural slasher films.

Englund’s genre credits also include ‘Hatchet’, ‘The Mangler’, ‘Urban Legend’ and ‘Wishmaster’.

Shaye played Elise Rainier in the ‘Insidious’ trilogy and also appeared in the first two ‘Critters’ movies.

She has also co-starred in several of the Farrelly brothers’ films, including a memorable turn as Magda in ‘There’s Something About Mary’.

Cassian Elwes is producing the film, with Rob Kennedy, Edward Kennedy, and Lorcan Kavanagh attached as executive producers.

Kavanagh and Kennedy are currently developing a new horror film, ‘Pass The Night’, with Edwina Forkin of Zanzibar Films.

The screenplay is written by Kennedy, who is a Nicholl Fellowship quarterfinalist.

It tells the terrifying story of a young girl who wakes up with no memory after a car crash.

As she tries to escape a forest she’s forced to fend off her mother’s ghost in the wilderness.