Shudder Acquires Indigenous Zombie Thriller Blood Quantum

Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, today announced that they have acquired US, UK/Ireland, and Australia/NZ rights to the zombie thriller BLOOD QUANTUM, which debuted for buyers at the Marché du Film at Cannes.

In BLOOD QUANTUM, the dead are coming back to life outside the isolated Mi’gmaq reserve of Red Crow, except for its Indigenous inhabitants who are immune to the zombie plague. Traylor (Michael Greyeyes), the tribal sheriff, must protect his son’s pregnant girlfriend, apocalyptic refugees, and reserve riff raff from the hordes of walking white corpses.

Directed and written by Mi'gmaq filmmaker Jeff Barnaby and featuring an Indigenous cast, the film stars Michael Greyeyes (Fear The Walking Dead, True Detective), 2018 Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellowship recipient Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (On the Farm) and Forrest Goodluck (The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Revenant), and was produced by John Christou for Prospector Films and Rob Vroom. Madrona Drive also executive produced the film alongside XYZ Films. The film recently wrapped shooting in Montreal, Canada and the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory as well as Barnaby’s hometown of Listuguj, Quebec.

The deal for US, UK/Ireland, and Australia/NZ was brokered by Nate Bolotin and Tatyana Joffe of XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers, and by Emily Gotto for Shudder. XYZ Films has also sold the film in multiple international territories including Koch Films for Germany, Minerva in Italy, Klockworx in Japan, Lumix in South Korea, Falcon in Indonesia, MovieCloud in Taiwan, MVP in India, Shaw Renters in Singapore, Falcon in the Middle East, and FOX Network Group Asia Pacific – Pan Asia PTV/SVOD.

Director Jeff Barnaby said, “Natives have been on screen for 100 years but have never controlled that image. In the age of representation, Shudder is putting their money where their mouth is and providing an opportunity for a whole new generation of indigenous genre filmmakers. They're breaking that glass ceiling and opening the books on a whole new perspective. They're making a genuine difference."

“We are thrilled to bring Jeff Barnaby’s BLOOD QUANTUM to Shudder,” said Emily Gotto. “Jeff and his bold vision are at the forefront of Shudder’s ethos of original, provocative and stirring genre stories. BLOOD QUANTUM is a new, First Nations perspective on a classic genre, a film that takes zombies in a new direction as it harkens back to the meaningful and politically aware roots of George Romero.”

BLOOD QUANTUM is Barnaby’s sophomore feature film following the critically acclaimed Rhymes for Young Ghouls. Elevation Pictures will distribute the film in Canada, while Entract Films will distribute the film in Quebec. Bell Media’s Crave has the first-window broadcast rights in Canada. Financing for the production was provided by Telefilm Canada, SODEC, Canadian Media Fund, and The Harold Greenberg Fund.