XLrator Media Locks In NZ Horror Comedy ‘Housebound’

EXCLUSIVE: XLrator Media has acquired U.S. rights to Housebound, the Kiwi horror comedy from director Gerard Johnstone that premiered in March at SXSW and emerged as one of the fest’s crowd-pleasing discoveries. Morgana O’Reilly stars as Kylie Bucknell, a delinquent young woman sentenced to home detention with her mother, who’s convinced their house is haunted. When Kylie starts hearing whispers and strange bumps in the night she wonders if there really is a hostile spirit in the home unhappy about her return. XLrator is planning a Fall 2014 release via its genre label MACABRE. Rima Te Wiata and Glen-Paul Waru co-star in the pic, which marks writer-director Johnstone’s debut. Housebound is produced by Luke Sharpe for Semi-Professional Pictures and exec produced by Ant Timpson (The ABCs of Death), Daniel Story, and Chris Lambert. Funding came from the New Zealand Film Commission. XLrator’s Barry Gordon negotiated the deal with Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.