As we bid farewell to this year’s South by Southwest, a turn back around reveals one of the more exciting deals made at this year’s festival - well, exciting if you’re a fan of horrors and dark comedies. Vincenzo Natali’s
[[ http abigail-breslin-haunter-second-horror-bought-sxsw-36313.html new www.cinemablend.com ]] Haunter, E.L. Katz’s Cheap Thrills, and Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon’s Hell Baby all found their studio homes after their screenings in Austin, but today we learn another title has found its way on to that list.
Garant and Lennon’s The State castmate Ken Marino stars in the most recent acquisition from SXSW, the highly talked about horror comedy Milo, which Magnet Releasing bought late Friday night. Though no release details have been given, you can probably bet it will follow a similar pattern to the films mentioned earlier, with a limited theatrical run with an early VOD release.
Milo was directed by Jacob Vaughn, who’s been working mostly in editing after making his 2006 directorial debut comedy The Cassidy Kids. Vaughn also co-wrote the film, joined by newcomer Benjamin Hayes. Milo cast, however, is far more established.
Marino plays Duncan, a regular guy whose life is plagued by a shyster boss (Patrick Warburton), a nagging mother (Mary Kay Place), a quasi-hippie father (Stephen Root), and a pressuring wife (Gillian Jacobs). When Duncan’s stomach begins aching in unusually horrific ways, he goes to a hypnotherapist (Peter Stormare), who discovers that Duncan’s woes are due to a tiny demon living inside his intestines that, if spurred by large doses of anxiety, will escape from his body and go on a rampage, murdering those who have angered him. And so he names it Milo, and the two become friends. Kumail Nanjiani, Toby Huss and Nick Jaine also star.
This would have been an intriguing film even with an unknown cast and without the indie cred of executive producers Mark and Jay Duplass. But these actors are on top of their game every time they’re on screen. If monstrous buddy comedies are your game, check back for release details when they’re announced. And for now enjoy this Mondo poster made especially for the film's SXSW premiere
