Orlando Jones Set to Topline Lexicon’s DARK FORCES
Producers Anticipate Late Summer Production Start for
Horror Feature with Helmer Anthony O’Brien
Los Angeles, CA (April 6, 2019) – Lexicon today announced that they have cast Orlando Jones (American Gods) to topline DARK FORCES, the third film from director Anthony O’Brien (THE TIMBER) who will direct from a screenplay jointly written by Lexicon co-founders, producers Mark Mathias Sayre (WATERLILY JAGUAR; DOE; THE CLEARING, DOUBTING THOMAS) & Justin Foia (POINT DEFIANCE).
DARK FORCES is a horror film that pays homage to its many sub-genres: “While recovering from brain surgery at a rehabilitation center, acclaimed monster movie director Jerry Graves (Jones) becomes haunted by the ghastly creatures and grisly scenes of his own horror films.”
“It’s a huge honor to be directing Dark Forces in and of itself, but to have Orlando Jones as the lead is beyond thrilling,” says O’Brien. “Building the film around him was the easiest decision I could make. Orlando’s multi-talented and intellectually stimulating performances speak for themselves; his turn as ‘Mr. Nancy’ on STARZ’ American Gods provides a perfect example of this. His contribution to DARK FORCES will allow the audience to experience a thoughtful energy and voice that old (and new) fans of the genre can embrace.”
“The year was 1994,” quips Jones. “I was watching Steven Spielberg’s epic SCHINDLER’S LIST. People talk during horror movies, so as the little girl in the red coat walked through the carnage I yelled, ‘trip her!’ A chorus of theatre patrons shushed me. For the record, ‘Shhhh!’ counts as talking. I love the mixed bag of emotions scary movies evoke. DARK FORCES explores the thin veneer of civility that keeps the repressed monster(s) inside all of us at bay. We sincerely hope audiences set their inner demons free while viewing. Viva La Horror. Sorry, Mister Spielberg.”
The remaining U.S. casting of Dark Forces is being handled by Barbara J. McCarthy. Lexicon’s Mark Mathias Sayre (The Timber, DOE) will be producing and Jones is counted among the film’s executive producers.
Production is expected to begin in Romania later this summer.
