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A Lost Silent Film and an Infamous Los Angeles Landmark Set the Stage for a New Haunting
Los Angeles’ most notorious hotel is getting another turn in the horror spotlight, this time with Jurassic Park and Bohemian Rhapsody actor Joseph Mazzello heading the cast of a supernatural thriller written and directed by Francesco Lucente. Variety broke the exclusive out of the Tokyo International Film Festival, where Hong Kong-based Cappu Films came aboard to handle international sales at the TIFFCOM market.
Mazzello plays Tom, a struggling filmmaker who cleans toilets to stay afloat while endlessly polishing the only screenplay he has. When a friend points him toward Böse, a silent film from 1931 that has supposedly been lost for decades, his search for a creative breakthrough leads him into the hidden corners of the Cecil and toward a secret better left buried. Rather than leaning on jump scares, the film is built around the building’s corridors and hidden rooms, using sound, shadow and Tom’s growing isolation to ratchet up the tension.
The supporting cast includes Max Beesley (Jack Ryan) as a producer named Joe, honorary Oscar recipient Wes Studi (Avatar: Fire and Ash) as Nic, Carl Lumbly (Captain America: Brave New World) as Henry and Arnetia Walker (Bookie) as Chelsea. Lucente, who calls the project deeply personal, said the Cecil gives him “an extraordinary and haunting backdrop” for a tale about ambition and obsession.
Lucente, whose previous features include the drama Badland and the fantasy Starbright, is producing as well. Pre-production kicks off in December, cameras are set to roll in January 2027, and delivery is targeted for July 2027.
Writer/Director: Francesco Lucente
Producer: Francesco Lucente
Cast: Joseph Mazzello, Max Beesley, Wes Studi, Carl Lumbly, Arnetia Walker
International Sales: Cappu Films
Release Date: TBA
Source: Reporting and confirmation via Variety.