FOLLOWING FILMS

Vertical has confirmed the theatrical release of The Damned, an ominous psychological thriller directed by Thordur Palsson, set to hit UK and Irish cinemas on January 10, 2025. The film stars Odessa Young (The Staircase, Mothering Sunday) and Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders, Gangs of London) in a chilling tale that explores the harrowing choices faced by a community in dire circumstances. Set against the backdrop of a brutal 19th-century winter, The Damned centers on Eva, a widow grappling with an impossible decision after a shipwreck occurs off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost. As provisions dwindle, Eva and her tight-knit community must confront a moral dilemma: should they prioritize rescuing the shipwrecked crew or safeguard their own survival? As guilt mounts from their choices, a pervasive sense of dread takes hold, leading the community to believe they are being punished for their actions. The Damned premiered to acclaim at the Cork International Film Festival 2024, where it r...

January 3, 2025, will bring a chilling new entry into the psychological horror canon with the theatrical release of The Damned. Helmed by Icelandic director Thordur Palsson (The Valhalla Murders), the film is set to deliver an icy dose of tension and terror rooted in moral dilemmas and haunting isolation. The official synopsis sets the stage: The Damned unfolds in a 19th-century coastal fishing village battered by an unforgiving winter. Odessa Young (Shirley) stars as Eva, a widow grappling with a gut-wrenching decision after a shipwreck leaves a crew stranded near her struggling community. With scarce resources and survival on the line, the villagers must confront their humanity—or lack thereof. Guilt and fear begin to fester, giving way to an ever-deepening paranoia and the eerie sense that something otherworldly is exacting retribution for their choices. The ensemble cast is brimming with talent. Odessa Young leads opposite Joe Cole (Gangs of London), with Siobhan Finneran (Downton ...