Shudder has picked up the exclusive rights in all of its territories for The Boy Behind the Door, a terrifying new thriller and the first feature from writing/directing duo Justin Powell and David Charbonier.

The film’s official synopsis reads:

A night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and his best friend, Kevin (Ezra Dewey), when they are abducted on their way home from school. Managing to escape his confines, Bobby navigates the dark halls, praying his presence goes unnoticed as he avoids his captor at every turn. Even worse is the arrival of another stranger, whose mysterious arrangement with the kidnapper may spell certain doom for Kevin. With no means of calling for help and miles of dark country in every direction, Bobby embarks on a rescue mission, determined to get himself and Kevin out alive… or die trying.

Chavis (This Is Us) and Dewey (The Djinn) are joined onscreen by Kristin Bauer van Straten (True Blood), Scott Michael Foster (Once Upon a Time), and Micah Hauptman (Rust Creek).

“From its first frame, The Boy Behind the Door ratchets up the tension in a way that seems to never let up,” Shudder’s general manager Craig Engler said in a statement. “Justin and David have tapped into what true evil lurking around in our world today looks like, and I can think of no better place for audiences to experience this unrelenting thrill ride than Shudder.”

“We are excited to partner with Shudder, the leading voice in the horror space, for the release of The Boy Behind the Door,” Charbonier and Powell added. “It’s not every day we get to see stories centered on such strong, diverse leads, which Lonnie and Ezra masterfully craft with honest and authentic performances. We hope audiences worldwide will have as much fun watching the film as we did making it.”

Charbonier and Powell’s The Djinn is already making quite the stir ahead of its debut on IFC Midnight in May. The film includes a masterful performance by Dewey, and it will be interesting to see what they bring to The Boy Behind the Door!

Look for The Boy Behind the Door on Shudder in all of its territories–the U.S, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand–on July 29, 2021!