Witching Season Films’ Halloween-themed slasher and second feature film, He Never Left is written and directed by James Morris, produced by Morris and Michael Ballif who also shot and edited the film, with music by Randin Graves, and mask sculpted and designed by Billy-Martin of Open Grave FX. Poster above, synopsis, trailer and stills below.
IMDb SYNOPSIS: Gabriel is a fugitive on the run from the U.S. marshals. With help from his girlfriend, Carly, Gabriel takes refuge in an old motel. But after hearing strange noises coming from an adjoining motel room, the two inadvertently become targets of the notorious “Pale Face” killer, whose legend has consumed and haunted the local community for decades.
The cast includes veteran actor Colin Cunningham (Falling Skies, Stargate SG1, Preacher), along with Jessica Staples, David E. McMahon, Charla Bocchicchio, Sean Hunter, James Morris, Jake Waters, William McAllister, Hailey Nebeker and features an appearance by America’s Got Talent runner-up Mary Ellen Wolfe of “Duo Transcend” in her feature film-acting debut. Production began in October 2021 and wrapped in June 2022.
The team describes the film as “Inspired by horror classics like Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, slasher films like The Strangers, and fueled by real experiences from Morris’ career as a police officer, He Never Left embraces an atmospheric Halloween-horror aesthetic while putting a new, visceral spin on a classic genre, with post-production well underway, Witching Season Films hopes to have the project ready for a 2023 festival run and release.”
Trailer:
Pale Face slasher mask by Open Graves:
Stills:
