‘Companion’ – Rupert Friend Joins Sci-fi Horror Movie from ‘Barbarian’ Team

The latest to join the cast of upcoming sci-fi/horror Companion for New Line Cinema is Rupert Friend (Separation, “Obi-Wan Kenobi”), Deadline reports today.

Friend joins previously announced cast members Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets,” The Boogeyman), Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Lukas Gage (“You”), Megan Suri (It Lives Inside), and Jack Quaid (Scream, “The Boys”).

Announced back in February, Barbarian director Zach Cregger is producing Companion for New Line Cinema. Described as a sci-fi/horror movie, Companion will mark the directorial debut of Drew Hancock, who also wrote the script.

At this time, plot details remain under wraps.

Rupert Friend most recently starred in William Brent Bell’s 2021 horror movie Separation, pictured above, as Jeff, the single father struggling to piece together a new life for daughter Jenny (Violet McGraw) when the puppets from his comics seem to take on a life of their own. The actor can currently be seen in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City and is slated to appear next in 2024 action feature Canary Black.

Hancock previously wrote for comedy series “Suburgatory,” “Faking It,” and “My Dead Ex.” Will the filmmaker follow Cregger’s footsteps and go full throttle on horror or inject comedy into the mix?

Deadline reports that “New Line acquired Companion in a competitive situation following the multi-studio bidding war for Barbarian filmmaker Zach Cregger’s new horror Weapons, which Cregger is producing alongside Vertigo’s Roy Lee and BoulderLight’s Raphael Margules & J.D. Lifshitz, as well as Miri Yoon. BoulderLight’s Tracy Rosenblum and Vertigo’s Andrew Childs will executive produce.

On a related note, New Line just linked up with BoulderLight Pictures to have the Barbarian producers develop “high concept” genre movies for the studio, signing a first-look deal with the company. Their hope is that the Barbarian team will be part of a new wave of genre entertainment for New Line, so expect to hear a lot more from BoulderLight this year.

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