Kit Connor & Will Poulter to Lead Medieval Zombie Horror Film

Medieval-set horror films are generally few and far between, despite it being a historical era that's ripe for this sort of storytelling. The ones that do exist seem to gravitate toward certain types of stories, most often involving witches. Given the widespread witch panic that began in countries across Europe during this period (some 40,000-50,000 alleged witches were killed from the early 15th to the mid-18th century), that makes a certain amount of sense. However, it's somewhat surprising that we don't have more zombie-themed fare. After all, these were people who lived with the everyday fact of death more than most, and shambling swarms of the undead are a logical metaphor for the Black Death that swept through the population during the fourteenth century and left a world remade in its wake. 

The forthcoming film Rapture seems determined to change all that, a story that, at first glance, sounds as though it will be a remarkably faithful period piece in addition to an inevitable source of nightmare fuel. Set in a monastery in Yorkshire, the story follows a group of devout monks whose peace is shattered when a messenger arrives with terrible tidings. A mysterious illness is rampant abroad, a plague (see?) initially marked by a horrible fever that ultimately turns its victims into monstrous revenants. 

As conditions in the outside world worsen, their sanctuary at Lansley Abbey becomes a battleground, both literally and figuratively, as refugees beg for sanctuary and protection from the infected, while the monks themselves argue about what they owe to the rest of the world. Are they meant to comfort the sick and afflicted? Or safeguard the knowledge held within the monastery's walls? 

Rapture is set to star Will Poulter (Black Mirror), Kit Connor (Heartstopper), and Manu Ríos (Elite), though specifics of their roles have yet to be announced. (It seems likely that most, if not all of them, will be members of the monastic order at the center of the film's story.) The film will mark a reunion for Poulter and Connor, who recently starred together in Alex Garland's Warfare. 

Independent Film Company (previously IFC Films) and Shudder have taken domestic rights to the film in a deal brokered with Christine D’Souza Gelb for 2AM (Past Lives) and Noah Segal for Elevation Pictures (Infinity Pool), along with CAA Media Finance Group and WME Independent. 

“We were instantly captivated by Jordan’s vision — it’s a bold, chilling vision that fuses historical drama with supernatural horror in a way we’ve never seen before, anchored by three of today’s most exciting actors,” Ayo Kepher-Maat, Independent Film Company’s Vice President of Acquisitions and Productions, said in a statement.

Rapture is the debut feature for playwright and director Jordan Tannahill. His plays include Late Company and Botticelli in the Fire, and his novel The Listeners was shortlisted for the Giller Prize and adapted into a limited series for the BBC. Producers are Elevation Pictures, 2AM, and Brookstreet Pictures (The Brutalist). Eli Arenson (Lamb) is attached as director of photography. 

The film is due to shoot later this year in Hungary and is being prepped for a U.S. theatrical release in 2026.