Game of Thrones director Neil Marshall shares surprise first look at Kill Bill-esque revenge movie Duchess at MCM
Neil Marshall's new crime thriller has just sold to distributors around the world
What’s a convention without a trailer debut? Attendees to the 'Werewolves, Crawlers, and Footsteps: Author Janine Pipe and Director Neil Marshall in Conversation' panel at MCM London Friday afternoon got more than they might have expected, with Marshall bringing a sizzle reel for his upcoming crime thriller Duchess for the crowd.
Duchess, which stars Charlotte Kirk, Philip Winchester, and Colm Meaney, is an action-packed crime thriller about Scarlett, a Londoner who ends up seeking revenge when her diamond smuggler boyfriend is murdered, and she herself is left for dead. The footage shown at the show wasn’t an official trailer for the movie; Marshall described it as a reel created to help sell the movie to potential distributors.
It certainly did that; the feature was just sold in markets across the globe, including the UK and US yesterday, with Saban Films taking distribution rights in the US, and Vertigo Films handling the UK. It’s easy to see why — the reel was fast-moving and packed with personality, with Kirk’s Scarlett telling the audience about Rob, her boyfriend, “I know what you’re going to say — he’s into some shady shit, but I didn’t care.” When we see her waking up after the murder of Rob, her voiceover is similarly knowing: “Do you really think I’m the kind of girl who’s going to let this go?” Cue the explosions, punches, and genital torture. (Only slightly on that last one, I should add.)
As the crowd applauded at the end of the footage, Marshall joked, “Bit of girl power.”
“There’s some gratuitous violence,” he admitts about the movie. “I kind of always saw myself as an action director, more than a horror director. Everything I do has action in it somewhere. I love doing action, that’s the juice. I like it.”
This isn’t the only upcoming feature from the Game of Thrones and Descent director. Explaining that Duchess had actually been filmed in 2022, he said that he’s already completed a slasher movie that’s similarly going to be looking for distribution in the near future. Additionally, he’s working with author Janine Pipe on a making-of book about The Descent, his 2005 horror movie, with a planned 2025 release to tie in with its 20th anniversary, he revealed.
No release date has been announced yet for Duchess.
Here's a list of all the major upcoming movie release dates for you to prepare for.
