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Bookworm Photo: courtesy of Photon Films

After his 2019 directorial debut feature Come To Daddy, New Zealand filmmaker Ant Timpson pares back the black comedy for the more family-friendly Bookworm. As he reunites with British screenwriter Toby Harvard, no one is chained up in a basement, there's no violent fight in a motel that is hosting a swingers' convention, and this time around, Elijah Wood's character doesn't get stabbed by a prostitute. It all sounds a little dull, but Bookworm brims with creativity and charm. At the heart of the story is 11-year-old bookworm Mildred (Nell Fisher), who takes her estranged father, the failed American illusionist Strawn Wise (Wood), on an adventure to track down the legendary Canterbury Panther.

Before the interview gets underway, Timpson tells me that he and Harvard are cynics, but admits, "I guess we're also soppy sentimentalists at heart." It shows in Bookworm, which gradually embraces sentimentality.

Is Elijah Wood one of the best costars an actor can ask for? Michael Smiley thinks so. Smiley, currently starring in Season 2 of Bad Sisters, plays the antagonist in the Elijah Wood-led father/daughter New Zealand adventure film, Bookworm. In a recent MovieWeb interview, Smiley praised Wood, with whom he also worked in the horror romp, Come to Daddy. Both films were directed by Ant Timpson.

He's a great example of what it is to be a man, Smiley beamed about Wood, who plays a fallen magician in the film and a man hoping to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Mildred (Nell Fisher). When asked about how Wood is on set and his acting process, Smiley added: I wouldn't be arrogant enough to tell you what I think his process is, because it's his process. But what I know of him from working with him is that he's so generous.

Michael Smiley has been turning heads with roles in Bad Sisters, The Lobster, The Other Boleyn Girl, and Luther. But ask the actor whos currently starring alongside Elijah Wood in the family adventure film Bookworm about his early days, and hell recall starting out as a stand-up comic and sharing a place with the likes of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in the 1990s. All three of them were in the brilliant UK comedy series, Spaced.

It was a bit like a frat house, I guess, Smiley recalled. What was interesting about it was that everybody was exploring their abilities and trying to push their talent. So, short little films were getting made, little bits of animation were getting done, ideas were being bandied about, storytelling was going on in the early hours of the morning, music was being mixed, parties were being thrown. He added:

It was all leading up to Spaced.

Mister Smith Entertainment has closed multiple international sales for the adventure comedy Bookworm, starring Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher.

The feature, from Come to Daddy director Ant Timpson follows 11-year-old Mildred (Fisher) whose life takes a wild turn when her estranged father, a washed-up Las Vegas illusionist Strawn Wise (Wood) suddenly reappears. Strawn is left to care for Mildred while her mom is hospitalized and the pair set off on a trip to find the mythological Canterbury Panther.

Mister Smith closed deals on the film for Photon Films in Canada; Metropolitan in France; Plaion Pictures in Germany, Italy and Switzerland; and La Aventura in Spain, among other territories. Vertical Entertainment picked up the film for the U.S. earlier this year. Signature Entertainment will release in the U.K.

Written by Toby Harvard, Bookworm is produced by Emma Slade, Roxi Bull, Victoria Dabbs, Mette-Marie Kongsved and Laura Tunstall. It is...

Directed by Ant Timpson, Bookworm is a family-friendly adventure and comedy movie starring Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher. The film tells a heartwarming story about a young girl whose life takes a wild turn when she and her estranged washed-up illusionist father go camping in the New Zealand wilderness in search for proof of the mythological Canterbury Panther. Bookworm debuted in theaters and on demand on October 18.

In an exclusive interview, Cbr sat down with director Ant Timpson to discuss the excitement and challenges of filming Bookworm in the New Zealand wilderness. He describes the initial inspiration behind the creation of the film, the New Zealand myth behind the Canterbury Panther, and his favorite memories while filming the movie. He also reveals what it was like to work with Elijah Wood, Michael Smiley, and Toby Harvard again to create another film together.

Cbr: You are the director of Bookworm. What...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Alien: Romulus (Fede Alvarez)

It’s a dire, inhospitable environment, wherein corporate interests can give way to ghoulish monstrosities, and those just trying to navigate the chokehold of capitalism are doing their best to survive. In a way, Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus may be the most meta Alien film to date. No stranger to playing in others’ sandboxes, the Evil Dead helmer is, at first glance, an encouraging fit for the sci-fi horror franchise. Like the original, 2017’s Alien: Covenant––an underrated high point for these films––was at its peak when threading its headier notions with gleefully mean-spirited cynicism towards its human subjects. Alvarez has that same kind of nasty streak in him, and much of Romulus’ mandated fan service...

A quirky Kiwi misadventure is the basic foundation of Bookworm, director Ant Timpson's impressive follow-up to his much darker first film, Come to Daddy. He brings along the star of that movie, Elijah Wood into this enjoyable tale, which finds two souls in flux and hoping to find lighthearted resolution in their lives.

Meet Strawn Wise (Wood), a washed-up American magician/illusionist who returns to his young, estranged daughter Mildred (Nell Fisher) during a time of crisis. Raised by her financially strapped Mum, Mildred has been immersing herself in lavish literary adventures, and now, when life has become most challenging, she wants to go on a real one. In the New Zealand wilderness, in fact, and perhaps with her befuddled pops. The mission: to discover a mythical black panther.

Theres enough in that premise alone to attract audiences of all kinds, but thanks to the taut script by Toby Harvard,...

The new family adventure Bookworm stars Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) as a once-famous Vegas magician unexpectedly thrown into fatherhood when his estranged daughter’s mother has an accident. They go on an adventure in the New Zealand wilderness, searching for the mythological Canterbury Panther, hoping to earn the reward for a sighting to pay off her medical bills.

Bookworm is an adorable, wholesome, and poignant adventure flick with great performances from Wood and his young co-star, Nell Fisher. At the film’s Fantastic Fest US premiere, we spoke with Elijah Wood and its director, Ant Timpson, about making the film and why it stands out in the pantheon of family films. Check out the interview below!

Bookworm Interview

FandomWire: This is the second film you guys have made together after Come to Daddy. What do you think works so well about this collaboration?

Elijah Wood: Well, we’re friends first,...

An effulgent love letter to ’80s kid cinema laced with a distinctly quirky, Kiwi dryness, Ant Timpson’s heartwarming Bookworm reunites star Elijah Wood both with his Come to Daddy director and New Zealand (this time sans hobbit feet). It also gives pre-teen star Nell Fisher a breakout leading role as the precious kid to end all precocious kids.

Wood turns the quirks of his starry-eyed but hilariously inept dad into comic gold as the man does what he can to endear himself to his kid, with lots of funny business involving card decks, false thumbs, and chains of scarves. And Fisher makes an absolute meal of dialogue that would be challenging for any actor, let alone one so relatively young and untested.

When her mother is left in a coma after a tragic toaster explosion, Mildred (Fisher) is forced to reconcile with her long-absent father, Strawn Wise (Wood). A deadbeat,...

Being married to a genuine bookworm, I know what it’s like to compete for attention with a mountain of thrilling page-turners. My wife has read an estimated 300 novels this year, so I sympathize with Elija Wood’s Strawn as he attempts to appeal to the mind of someone overflowing with information and imagination. In today’s Bookworm trailer, father and daughter embark on an epic journey into the wilderness in search of an elusive Canterbury Panther. However, neither came prepared to find love and the beginnings of forgiveness alongside danger and adventure.

Here’s the official synopsis for Bookworm courtesy of Vertical:

Bookworm follows 11-year-old Mildred (Nell Fisher), whose life takes a wild turn when her estranged father, Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood), a washed-up Las Vegas illusionist, suddenly reappears. Years ago, after a magical encounter with the once-charming Strawn, Mildred’s mom moved back to New Zealand. Now, a...

Caught between the tendrils of “Swiss Family Robinson” and the fish-out-water jokes that make “The Parent Trap” legendary, Ant Timpson’s “Bookworm” should be celebrated as an instant classic. That’s true not just for fans of the old-fashioned family adventure genre but for any cinephiles seeking a heartfelt father-daughter quest that’s drenched in sun, mystery, and fart jokes this fall.

For the visionary director’s sophomore feature, Timpson reunites his “Come to Daddy” cohorts to tremendous, even dazzling effect. The filmmaker once again collaborates with star Elijah Wood, writer Toby Harvard, and cinematographer Dan Katz — this time for a kid-friendly romp hunting a local legend through the director’s native New Zealand wilderness. You can watch the stunning trailer above, which IndieWire exclusively debuts ahead of the film’s U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 22.

Opposite newcomer Nell Fisher (soon to be seen in “Stranger Things” Season 5) as the unstoppable Mildred,...

If youre watching a movie where Elijah Wood plays a character who wanders out into the beautiful lands of New Zealand, you know its going to be a long trek to reach the destination. Alas, while the actors latest film Bookworm shares the same shooting country as Peter Jacksons The Lord of the Rings films, it also does a great deal of wandering around, while persistently lacking in cinematic wonder. Directed by Ant Timpson, who previously made the similarly familial, though more audaciously violent Come to Daddy, with Wood and co-writer Toby Harvard, its another tale of reconnection that isnt afraid to see a father and child roasting each other a bit. However, its much more family-friendly in focus, proving to be occasionally clever in many parts, though mostly tame compared to Timpsons prior work.

Stars: Elijah Wood, Nell Fisher, Michael Smiley, Morgana O’Reilly | Written by Toby Harvard | Directed by Ant Timpson

Director Ant Timpson reunites with Come to Daddy screenwriter Toby Harvard, star Elijah Wood and co-star Michael Smiley for the utterly charming wilderness adventure comedy, Bookworm, set in New Zealand. Technically it’s also a creature feature, though don’t expect too much in the way of scares in that department.

Nell Fisher plays precocious 11-year-old Mildred, who has spent most of her childhood devouring books and has a prodigious vocabulary to show for it. When her single mother (Morgana O’Reilly) ends up in a coma due to a toaster-based incident, Mildred is suddenly saddled with her deadbeat dad, Strawn Wise (Wood), a failed American magician (he prefers “illusionist”), who she’s never met before.

Spying her chance, Mildred persuades her eager-to-please dad to accompany her on a camping trip into the New Zealand wilderness,...

After the dark comedy Come to Daddy, New Zealand director Ant Timpson travels back to his home country with lead actor Elijah Wood for Bookworm, an adventure designed for all ages. In his introduction at the opening of Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival, Timpson cited 1970s family movies as an inspiration and admitted he wanted nothing more than to make a good, entertaining time for audiences. That aim is apparent in every moment of Bookworm, whose odd-couple pairing of an estranged father and his precocious daughter on a camping trip gone wrong feels engineered to be a broad crowd-pleaser. But Timpson, along with co-writer Toby Harvard, prefer to take the easy way for achieving their goals, the film leaning into dated comedy and a relentless charm offensive that makes its efforts too strained to fully embrace.

The film starts with Mildred (Nell Fisher), an 11-year-old girl who spends most of...

The Fantasia Film Festival is in full swing in Montreal, and it kicked off in high gear with the world premiere of Bookworm. The movie – which we loved (read our review here) – stars the great Elijah Wood as an illusionist who is summoned to New Zealand to care for his estranged daughter after her mother winds up in a coma. Soon, the girl, Mildred (played by the terrific Nell Fisher), convinces her father to accompany her into the New Zealand wilderness to track down a mythical panther, only for the two to deal with danger at every turn.

Wood attended the film’s red carpet premiere and was kind enough to chat with us a bit. You can check out the interview embedded above, but Wood did give us an intriguing answer when we asked if he’d be willing to return to Middle Earth in Andy Serkis’s The Hunt for Gollum.

New Zealand’s Ant Timpson has been quietly but confidently carving out quite a niche in the genre film circuit. As a writer and producer he helped birth the ABCs Of Death project, and shepherded the likes of cult classic Turbo Kid by the Rkss team and Jason Lei Howden’s wild Deathgasm.

The good old-fashioned family adventure is a genre unto itself, and one worth celebrating when kid-friendly films as good as “Bookworm” open events like Fantasia Fest 2024.

Director Ant Timpson and writer Toby Harvard reunite for their second scrappy feature following the 2019 cult horror hit “Come to Daddy.” This time, they’ve cast repeat collaborator Elijah Wood as a low-rent American magician and an absentee dad who is suddenly conscripted back into parental service by an emergency overseas. For this crowd-pleasing comedy, the camera finds the former “Lord of the Rings” hero once again crawling the stunning landscapes of New Zealand — only here, Wood is part of a father-daughter odd couple and, acting opposite plucky kid hero Nell Fisher, he plays against Frodo-type as neither the short nor the brave one.

In this quietly epic tale of slow-won forgiveness and mutual understanding, the not-so-mystical Shawn Wise (exquisite name) and his estranged 11-year-old,...

Exclusive: Signature Entertainment has picked up UK and Irish rights to Bookworm, the latest film from Kiwi filmmaker Ant Timpson (Come to Daddy) starring Elijah Wood.

Described as an “adventure comedy”, the film is produced by Emma Slade (Come to Daddy), Roxi Bull (Uproar), and Victoria Dabbs (Malevolent) of Firefly Films New Zealand and Mette-Marie Kongsved (I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Laura Tunstall (Nine Days) of Nowhere.

Timpson directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler). Starring alongside Wood are Michael Smiley (Free Fire), Nell Fisher (Evil Dead Rise), Morgana O’Reilly (Housebound), and Nikki Si’ulepa (Same But Different: A True New Zealand Love Story). The film’s plot tells the story of a 12-year-old whose life is turned upside down when her estranged, washed-up American magician father comes to look after her.

The deal was negotiated between Signature Entertainment’s Chief Commercial...

“Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood is to return to New Zealand in the leading role of “Bookworm,” a family adventure-comedy to be directed by Ant Timpson. The project is being launched next week at the American Film Market by sales agent Mister Smith Entertainment.

The film’s story sees 12-year-old Mildred’s life turned upside down when her mother lands in hospital and estranged, American magician father, Strawn Wise (Wood), comes to look after her. Hoping to entertain the bookish tween, Strawn takes Mildred camping in the notoriously rugged New Zealand wilderness. There the pair embark on the ultimate test of family bonding – a quest to find the mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther.

Considering that Mildred has read every book on camping, but never been into the wilds, and that Strawn is more at home on the Las Vegas strip than in the Southern Alps, the potential for mishap is significant.

Exclusive: FilmNation Entertainment’s newly formed production label Infrared has won a great package in a competitive bid, snapping up Drew Pearce’s action thriller pitch Cooler. Dune and Guardians of the Galaxy actor Dave Bautista will star. Production is expected to start in summer 2023, and Pearce is directing off his script.

Cooler is the first project to come out of the recently announced first-look deal between Infrared and Bautista’s Dogbone Entertainment.

The film follows a South Beach bouncer Ray Sagona, played by Bautista, who is on the brink of finding redemption and getting his family back. But when a drug-filled safe is stolen from the club he works at, Ray is blackmailed into finding it before the Miami Pd narcotics bureau comes to retrieve it on Sunday night. Now, as his past and present collide in ever-more dangerous ways, Ray must survive an epic 36-hour odyssey across Miami...

Adrien Brody and Vera Farmiga will headline director Ant Timpson’s mystery thriller The Salamander Lives Twice.

Written by Toby Harvard, with a story by Timpson and Harvard, the pic follows an injured man (Brody) with an impenetrable briefcase and no memory who is found on the shoreline of a remote island by Iris and her daughter Goggy (Farmiga), the last remaining members of a once prosperous family dynasty.

Producers are Emma Slade for Firefly Films, Katie Holly for Blinder Films and with executive producers Timpson and XYZ Films.

XYZ Films is handling world sales and co-repping domestic with CAA Media Finance at AFM.

Brody is repped by CAA; Farmiga is repped by CAA and Authentic Talent and Literary Management. Timpson is repped by CAA.

Adrien Brody and Vera Farmiga are starring in the independent mystery thriller “The Salamander Lives Twice” with production scheduled to begin in the spring.

Brody will portray a man with an impenetrable briefcase and no memory who is found on the shoreline of a remote island by a woman and her daughter — played by Farmiga — who are the last remaining members of a once prosperous family dynasty.

Ant Timpson is directing “The Salamander Lives Twice” from a Toby Harvard script, with a story by Timpson and Harvard. The film is produced by Emma Slade for Firefly Films, Katie Holly for Blinder Films and is executive produced by Timpson and XYZ Films, which is handling worldwide sales. “The Salamander Lives Twice” will be introduced by XYZ to buyers, with CAA Media Finance co-repping domestic rights, at the online American Film Market, which opens Monday.

Brody won a best actor Academy Award...

Production scheduled for spring 2021; Emma Slade, Katie Holly to produce.

Adrien Brody and Vera Farmiga will star in Ant Timpson’s mystery thriller The Salamander Lives Twice, which XYZ Films has boarded for worldwide sales at AFM 2020 Online and jointly represents the US with CAA Media Finance.

Production is scheduled for spring 2021 with Emma Slade of Firefly Films producing alongside Katie Holly for Blinder Films. Timpson and XYZ Films serve as executive producers.

Toby Harvard wrote the screenplay from a story by Timpson and Harvard about an injured man (Brody) with an impenetrable briefcase and no memory who washes up on a remote island.

Adrien Brody and Vera Farmiga are set to headline Ant Timpson’s mystery thriller The Salamander Lives Twice, heading to the virtual American Film Market with XYZ Films.

Written by Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler, Tropical Cop Tales), with a story by Timpson (Come to Daddy, Turbo Kid) and Harvard, the film will center on an injured man (Brody), who is found with an impenetrable briefcase and no memory on the shoreline of a remote island by Iris and her daughter Goggy (Farmiga), the last remaining members of a once prosperous family dynasty.

The Salamander Lives Twice is produced by Emma Slade (Come to Daddy) ...

Adrien Brody and Vera Farmiga are set to headline Ant Timpson’s mystery thriller The Salamander Lives Twice, heading to the virtual American Film Market with XYZ Films.

Written by Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler, Tropical Cop Tales), with a story by Timpson (Come to Daddy, Turbo Kid) and Harvard, the film will center on an injured man (Brody), who is found with an impenetrable briefcase and no memory on the shoreline of a remote island by Iris and her daughter Goggy (Farmiga), the last remaining members of a once prosperous family dynasty.

The Salamander Lives Twice is produced by Emma Slade (Come to Daddy) ...

Stars: Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Madeleine Sami, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley | Written by Toby Harvard | Directed by Ant Timpson

Directed by Ant Timpson in his feature directorial debut, based on his idea and written by Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler), Come to Daddy is a New Zealand film project. It stars Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings), someone not unfamiliar with New Zealand film work, as Norval Greenwood, a thirty-something musical artist who travels to a cabin in the middle-of-nowhere and attempts to reconnect with his father.

Stephen McHattie plays Gordon, a wonderfully manic and unpredictable man, played with a real tension that creates discomfort and awkwardness in the scenes between himself and Norval in the early stages of the movie. Norval begins as a cocksure and almost arrogant character with a past shadowed with demons of alcoholism and self-harm, but as the film progresses and the relationship between father and son grows and adapts,...

Father of Mine: Timpson Paints Pastiche with Peculiar Debut

While he assembles all the requisite elements for what promises to be a throwback to the glory days of cerebral B-movie genre classics with his debut Come to Daddy, producer Ant Timpson’s first foray behind the camera unfortunately attempts to disguise a lethargic, superficial narrative behind the continuously popular “batshit crazy” artifice wherein jarring elements and obtuse segues are often mistaken for deeper meaning.

Based on an idea by Timpson and scripted by Toby Harvard, a game Elijah Wood stars as a pathetic thirtysomething with daddy issues who jumps on an opportunity to reunite with his estranged parent only to discover he’s inadvertently become part of something sinister.…...

Don Kaye Feb 7, 2020

Come to Daddy star Elijah Wood and director Ant Timpson discuss the dark roots of their cleverly constructed thriller.

In Come to Daddy, Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) plays Norval Greenwood, a seemingly well-off young man and La music scenester who goes to visit the dad he hasn’t seen in 30 years. The opportunity, such as it is, arrives after the old man sends him a warm letter asking for a chance at reconciliation. But when Norval arrives at his dad’s remote coastal cabin, he discovers that his father is quite a different prospect in person, and that the elder Greenwood’s past might put both of them in danger.

Come to Daddy is the directorial debut of New Zealand filmmaker Ant Timpson, who spent a number of years producing independent horror fare like The ABCs of Death and The Greasy Strangler before finally getting behind the camera himself.

As Neon rides the awards-season wave with Bong Joon Ho’s cinematic masterpiece Parasite, it isn’t stopping with delivering genre titles that speak to the brand. This weekend, its will debut its chilling thriller The Lodge directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz.

Written by Fiala, Franz and Sergio Casci, The Lodge follows a family that decides to spend the holidays in a snowy remote cabin. Already, this doesn’t sound like a good idea. The father (Richard Armitage) is forced to leave the family vaycay for work and his new girlfriend Grace (Riley Keough) stays behind to take care of his kids, Aidan (Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh). When a blizzard hits, they become trapped and, well, Grace’s dark past begins to terrify all of them.

The Lodge debuted last year at Sundance before going through the festival circuit and then making its premiere in Italy in January.

No one has ever mistaken Elijah Wood for a tough beefcake. Standing just 5’6’’ and probably weighing little more than a wet blanket, the veteran performer has made quite the career out of playing fragile, shy, broken, or insecure young men, then turning those expectations upside down to dizzying effect. Even at 39 years of age he still looks the part of an awkward teenager trying to carve out a safe space in an unwelcome world.

Believe it or not, Wood has now entered his fifth decade of working as a professional actor. Throughout that time he’s evolved from wide-eyed child star to wide-eyed savior (Lord of the Rings trilogy) to wide-eyed psychopath (Maniac) with many variations of the like in between.

Ant Timpson’s Come to Daddy seems to understand these chameleon-like tendencies exist but doesn’t always know what to do with them. In the opening sequence of this nasty thriller,...

A potential bonding opportunity between estranged father (Stephen McHattie) and son (Elijah Wood) takes a demented turn when some surprise visitors show up in Come to Daddy. In her four-star review, Heather Wixson wrote that Come to Daddy is "...a quirky and unpredictable feature film directorial debut from Ant Timpson," and ahead of the movie's release via Saban Films, a new clip has been released, featuring a selfie gone horribly wrong.

You can watch the new clip below, and keep an eye out for Come to Daddy when Saban Films releases it in select theaters and on VOD and Digital beginning February 7th, 2020.

Directed by Ant Timpson from a screenplay by Toby Harvard (based on an idea by Ant Timpson), Come to Daddy stars Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley, Madeleine Sami, and Simon Chin. In case you missed it, visit our online hub to catch up on...

The creative forces behind Come to Daddy clearly take delight in shocking their audience. The film, a mix of comedy, horror, and thriller, seeks to upend expectations at all turns. Sometimes they succeed, while at other times, they fall a little bit short. The end result is a unique little movie, one that aims high with its genre ambitions. If it doesn’t quite reach the intended heights, there’s still a devilish streak of wit throughout that makes it more than just a garden variety independent flick. Having been on the festival circuit for nearly a year (beginning last April at the Tribeca Film Festival), it’s finally hitting screens this weekend and is worth a look. The movie is a mix, as mentioned above, of comedy, horror, and thriller. For Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood), life has been one full of privilege, but ultimately one lacking in happiness. Deep...

A potential bonding opportunity between estranged father (Stephen McHattie) and son (Elijah Wood) takes a demented turn when some surprise visitors show up in Come to Daddy. In her four-star review, Heather Wixson wrote that Come to Daddy is "...a quirky and unpredictable feature film directorial debut from Ant Timpson," and ahead of the movie's February release via Saban Films, a new clip has been released that offers a deeper look into the film's strained relationship between father and son, highlighted during a conversation about Elton John.

You can watch the new clip below, and keep an eye out for Come to Daddy when Saban Films releases it in select theaters and on VOD and Digital beginning February 7th, 2020.

Directed by Ant Timpson from a screenplay by Toby Harvard (based on an idea by Ant Timpson), Come to Daddy stars Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley, Madeleine Sami,...

A potential bonding opportunity between estranged father (Stephen McHattie) and son (Elijah Wood) takes a demented turn when some surprise visitors show up in Come to Daddy. In her four-star review, Heather Wixson wrote that Come to Daddy is "...a quirky and unpredictable feature film directorial debut from Ant Timpson," and ahead of the movie's February release via Saban Films, the official trailer has been released.

You can watch the new trailer below, and keep an eye out for Come to Daddy when Saban Films releases it in select theaters and on VOD and Digital beginning February 7th, 2020.

Directed by Ant Timpson from a screenplay by Toby Harvard (based on an idea by Ant Timpson), Come to Daddy stars Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley, Madeleine Sami, and Simon Chin. In case you missed it, read Heather Wixson's Tribeca interview with Wood and Timpson.

Synopsis: "Norval Greenwood, a...

Stars: Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Madeleine Sami, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley | Written by Toby Harvard | Directed by Ant Timpson

Directed by Ant Timpson in his feature directorial debut, based on his idea and written by Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler), Come to Daddy is a New Zealand film project. It stars Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings), someone not unfamiliar with New Zealand film work, as Norval Greenwood, a thirty-something musical artist who travels to a cabin in the middle-of-nowhere and attempts to reconnect with his father.

Stephen McHattie plays Gordon, a wonderfully manic and unpredictable man, played with a real tension that creates discomfort and awkwardness in the scenes between himself and Norval in the early stages of the movie. Norval begins as a cocksure and almost arrogant character with a past shadowed with demons of alcoholism and self-harm, but as the film progresses and the relationship between father and son grows and adapts,...

This year’s Arrow Video FrightFest opens with the UK premiere of Ant Timpson’s deviously edgy stunner Come to Daddy, starring Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Martin Donovan and Michael Smiley.

Written by The Greasy Strangler co-writer Toby Harvard (based on an idea by Timpson), Elijah Wood puts in a career best performance as thirty-something Norval, who receives an out-of-the-blue invitation to visit his perpetually uncaring dad, As his father’s growing animosity towards him reaches a dark fever pitch. this hilarious, inventively gross, core-shocking adventure moves smartly towards its uncompromising and unexpected finale.

The festival reaches its bloody conclusion with the world premiere of Abner Pastoll’s A Good Woman is Hard to Find, a superbly crafted Belfast-based crime story. It showcases a tour-de-force performance by Sarah Bolger, who plays a recently widowed mother of two desperate to know who murdered her husband in front of their young son,...

The UK's biggest horror film festival has just announced the opening and closing night films for its 20th anniversary. The Ant Timpson thriller Come to Daddy starring Elijah Wood will open the show, while Abner Pastoll's bloody Belfast crime story A Good Woman is Hard to Find will close out the fest. Elijah Wood puts in a career best performance as thirty-something Norval in Come to Daddy, who receives an out-of-the-blue invitation to visit his perpetually uncaring dad. The hilarious, inventively gross, core-shocking adventure moves smartly towards its uncompromising and unexpected finale. It was written by Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler). Abner Pastoll's superbly crafted A Good Woman is Hard to Find showcases a tour-de-force performance by Sarah Bolger, who plays a recently widowed mother...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

A potential bonding opportunity between estranged father (Stephen McHattie) and son (Elijah Wood) takes a demented turn when some surprise visitors show up in Ant Timpson's feature-length directorial debut, Come to Daddy. Following its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and ahead of its screening at the Overlook Film Festival, Come to Daddy has been acquired by Saban Films for Us distribution.

A theatrical release for Come to Daddy is being planned, but an exact release date has yet to be announced. We'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on further details as they are revealed.

In the meantime, we have the full press release and previously released clip below, and in case you missed it, read Heather's Tribeca interview with Timpson and Wood.

From the Press Release: Los Angeles – Saban Films announced today that they have acquired Us rights to producer Ant Timpson’s directorial debut Come to Daddy,...

Saban Films has bought the U.S. rights to the Elijah Wood horror-comedy “Come to Daddy.”

Saban, which is planning a theatrical release, announced the deal on Friday at the Cannes Film Festival, where Xyz Films represents “Come to Daddy” for international sales.

“Come to Daddy” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last month. Wood portrays a man in his thirties who travels to a remote Oregon cabin to reconnect with his estranged father following a surprise invitation. Stephen McHattie and Martin Donovan also star.

Ant Timpson, a producer on “Turbo Kid” and “The ABCs of Death,” made his feature directorial debut on “Come to Daddy.” Timpson helmed from a screenplay by Toby Harvard, based on an idea by Timpson.

Mette-Marie Kongsved and Laura Tunstall produced for Los Angeles-based Nowhere, alongside Daniel Bekerman for Toronto’s Scythia Films, Katie Holly of Dublin’s Blinder Films, Emma Slade for New Zealand-based Firefly Films and Harvard.

Saban Films has acquires U.S. distribution rights to Come to Daddy, the horror comedy starring Elijah Wood that marks the directing debut of producer Ant Timpson. The pic, which had its world premiere last month at the Tribeca Film Festival, will now get a theatrical release though no date has been set.

Wood stars as a man who travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father. Stephen McHattie and Martin Donovan co-star. Toby Harvard wrote the script based on an idea Timpson, whose previous producing credits include Turbo Kid and The Greasy Strangler.

The film is produced by Mette-Marie Kongsved and Laura Tunstall for Nowhere, Daniel Bekerman for Scythia Films, Katie Holly for Blinder Films, Emma Slade for Firefly Films, and Harvard. Tango Entertainment financed with support from the New Zealand Film Commission, Telefilm, Blinder Films and Egg Post Production. Timpson, Tim Headington and Lia Buman are executive producers.

Saban Films has picked up the U.S. rights to producer Ant Timpson’s directorial debut “Come to Daddy,” starring Elijah Wood, the studio announced on Friday.

The horror-comedy made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last month, and in addition to Wood, it stars Stephen McHattie and Martin Donovan.

“Come to Daddy” follows a man in his 30s who travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father. Toby Harvard penned the script based on an idea from Timpson.

Also Read: Saban Films Acquires Rights to Horror-Thriller 'Tone-Deaf' Ahead of SXSW

“Come to Daddy’s horror and comedy mix is perfectly balanced and creates a wonderfully wild atmosphere that’ll keep audiences guessing – all the way through,” Saban Films president Bill Bromiley said in a statement.

The film was produced by Mette-Marie Kongsved and Laura Tunstall for Nowhere, Daniel Bekerman for Scythia Films, Katie Holly for Blinder Films,...

Film premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last month.

Saban Films has picked up Us rights to the Elijah Wood horror-comedy Come To Daddy, which Xyz Films represents for international sales in Cannes.

The film premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last month and follows a man in his thirties who travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father. Stephen McHattie and Martin Donovan also star.

Saban plans a theatrical release on Ant Timpson’s feature directorial debut based on a screenplay by Toby Harvard from an idea by Timpson.

Mette-Marie Kongsved and Laura Tunstall produced for Los Angeles-based Nowhere,...

Saban Films has acquired U.S. rights to producer Ant Timpson’s directorial debut Come to Daddy, which made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last month.

The horror-comedy stars Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings franchise, Wilfred) alongside Stephen McHattie (Watchmen, Mother!) and Martin Donovan (Ant-Man, Big Little Lies).

Written by Toby Harvard, the story centers on a man in his 30s (Wood) who travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father (McHattie).The screenplay is based on an idea from Timpson.

“Come to Daddy’s horror and comedy mix is perfectly balanced and creates ...

Saban Films has acquired U.S. rights to producer Ant Timpson’s directorial debut Come to Daddy, which made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last month.

The horror-comedy stars Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings franchise, Wilfred) alongside Stephen McHattie (Watchmen, Mother!) and Martin Donovan (Ant-Man, Big Little Lies).

Written by Toby Harvard, the story centers on a man in his 30s (Wood) who travels to a remote cabin to reconnect with his estranged father (McHattie).The screenplay is based on an idea from Timpson.

“Come to Daddy’s horror and comedy mix is perfectly balanced and creates ...

While he’s been producing great genre films for years now, Ant Timpson took the directorial reins for Come to Daddy, his darkly comedic slapstick thriller hybrid featuring great performances from a stacked ensemble, including Elijah Wood, Martin Donovan, Stephen McHattie, and Michael Smiley. The story is centered around Norval (played by Woods), an entitled twenty-something who has been beckoned to the home of his estranged father, but their reunion goes awry in more ways than one.

Daily Dead recently had the opportunity to speak with both Timpson and Woods about Come to Daddy, where Timpson chatted about the inspirations behind his feature film debut and his experiences collaborating with his entire team. Woods, who also isn’t a stranger to the indie horror scene, discussed what initially drew him to both the film and the role of Norval, and his excitement over getting to work with Timpson and his fellow co-stars as well.

And you thought you had daddy issues. Weigh them against Elijah Wood’s troubles in debuting director Ant Timpson’s moderately funny and strangely dated gross-out comedy-thriller “Come To Daddy,” and you might just award your own old man a “Parent of the Year” prize. Too bad that Wood’s character Norval shows up at the remote doorstep of Brian (Stephen McHattie) — the guy who had abandoned him and his mother three decades ago — utterly clueless about the senselessness that awaits him and his long-estranged father. The audience is slightly luckier, since Timpson tips off the viewers about the forthcoming crazy ride by kicking his film off with two wildly unrelated quotes about dads: one by William Shakespeare and the other by Beyoncé.

If only Timpson (whose previous credits as a producer include the notoriously weird “The Greasy Strangler”) had earnestly delivered on that tease with some fresh grip. Instead,...

For his feature film directorial debut, long-time producer Ant Timpson explores the themes of generational division and the dangers of family secrets with his madcap caper Come to Daddy that fits perfectly in Timpson’s quirktastic oeuvre of projects.

Starring Elijah Wood, Come to Daddy is centered around 30-something man-child Norval (Wood), who was beckoned to the home of his estranged father (Stephen McHattie) by letter, unsure of just why his absentee pops has decided to reach out now after all these years. Once he arrives, his father proves himself to be a callous and insensitive lush, which directly conflicts with Norval’s own emotionally driven tendencies. Things come to a head between the father and son, which is where Come to Daddy’s narrative takes a surprising left turn, and to say more about the story would be a huge disservice to the film. But essentially, what it all...

Ahead of its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, we've been provided with a new clip from Come to Daddy, featuring an unnerving conversation between Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) and his father (Stephen McHattie).

Directed by Ant Timpson from a screenplay by Toby Harvard, Come to Daddy stars Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley, Madeleine Sami, and Simon Chin.

Come to Daddy will have its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday, April 25th. Visit Tribeca's official website for more details, and check out the synopsis, screening times, and clip below:

Synopsis: "Norval Greenwood, a privileged man-child arrives at the beautiful and remote coastal cabin of his estranged father. He quickly discovers that not only is dad a jerk, but he also has a shady past that is rushing to catch up with both of them. Now, hundreds of miles from his cushy comfort zone, Norval...

Elijah Wood’s acting career has undergone a curious evolution in the years since the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy brought him to prominence. In tandem with the launch of production company SpectreVision, Wood has embraced his genre sensibilities with a range of horror, fantasy, and thriller projects made well beyond the studio arena.

The latest example, “Come to Daddy,” is the paragon of Wood’s sensibilities: The directorial debut of longtime genre producer Ant Timpson is the eerie look at a young man visiting his estranged father at a remote countryside home, where he discovers his hard-drinking pop might not be telling the full truth. From there, “Come to Daddy” careens into a bloody, slapstick thrill ride, equal parts “Evil Dead” and early Peter Jackson.

Wood met Timpson years ago on the genre festival circuit, and the pair worked together as co-producers on the wacky Sundance midnight sensation “The Greasy Strangler.

While the SXSW Film Festival is kicking off in Austin this week, the Tribeca Film Festival will continue to shine a spotlight on upcoming genre films in April and May, including Joe Begos' Bliss, Ant Timpson's Come to Daddy (starring Elijah Wood and Stephen McHattie), and Something Else (directed by Jeremy Gardner and Christian Stella).

From the Press Release: "New York – March 5, 2019 – The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by At&T, today unveiled its feature film lineup. Continuing its tradition of elevating exceptional storytelling rooted in today’s global film communities, the 18th annual Festival will showcase debut works from emerging talent and new works from notable filmmakers. The program includes discoveries, comedies, music-centered, political and social films. The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 24 - May 5.

The feature program includes 103 films from 124 filmmakers. The films selected in the three competition sections consist of 50% women directed films. The lineup includes 81 World Premieres,...