Well, this is exciting! Kit Connor and Manu Ríos‘ movie, which was thought dead at some point, is finally happening.
Deadline confirmed that Rapture is set to enter the film festival circuit with Connor, Rios, and Will Poulter attached to star.
The film is set in medieval England in 1348 and tells the story of a monastery that falls victim to a viral outbreak.
Soon, it is discovered that this is no regular outbreak as the undead begin to take over.
A moral quandary arises in the monastery. Some believe it’s their calling to care for the sick, but others want to protect the monastery.
Jordan Tannahill will direct Rapture in his feature directorial debut. Production will begin later this year in Hungary.
Rapture is being sold at Cannes by HanWay films, and the company’s CEO, Gabrielle Stewart, praised it, saying:
“We have all been blown away by the vision Jordan has for Rapture. It is rare to have such an atmospheric and terrifying zombie horror film that inhabits such an authentic historical world, with complex characters grappling with the biggest moral dilemmas.
“It is no wonder he has already attracted such great casting in Will, Kit and Manu with more to come, backed by top tier producers.”
‘Rapture’ Was Thought to Have Died
The film was rumored to be in development before the 2023 dual Hollywood strikes.
Writers and actors went on strike to demand better compensation from studios, and many projects could not proceed, with some losing their stars and other windows.
Given that Ríos and Connor, who were initially attached to star, were rising stars in the international film and television stage, the movie was thought to have died at some point.
Initial reports claimed that Connor and Ríos’ characters are love interests, but that is yet to be fully confirmed. Given that the director is queer, we can hope.
Meanwhile, it reunites Connor with his Warfare co-star, Poulter.
Where You May Have Seen Kit Connor and Manu Rios Before
Connor’s breakout role was in the queer teen romance series Heartstopper where he has played Nick Nelson for three seasons.
The actor reprises his character, who is bi by the way, for the recently announced Heartstopper movie.
Netflix revealed that Heartstopper will wrap up with the movie instead of a full season.
Ríos came to prominence starring in the hit Spanish teen series Elite.
He played Patrick, one half of the fan-favorite gay couple Patrick & Ivan (Andre Lamoglia), for three seasons before departing the show.
He went on to appear in several other projects, including La Edad de La Ira, The Strange Way of Life, and Respira.
He will reprise his [straight] Biel character in Respira (Breathless) Season 2, which reunited him with Elite‘s creator, Carlos Montero.
Keep checking with us for more updates about the film.