BMG’s Concord Originals, a prominent player in the film and television industry and part of the acclaimed music and theater powerhouse BMG, is embarking on an exciting new project: the supernatural gothic horror film “Wolf at the Door.” This adaptation is based on the original play by Concord Theatricals, and it promises to bring a unique blend of horror and storytelling to the big screen.
Creative Team and Inspiration
Directed by Argentina’s Agustina San Martín, known for her psychological horror film “Psyche,” which features Noah Jupe and Isabela Merced, “Wolf at the Door” delves deeply into the supernatural. The screenplay is penned by playwright, poet, and screenwriter Marisela Treviño Orta, drawing from her play of the same name, which is part of a trilogy that intertwines Latinx mythology and the Brothers Grimm fairy tales.
Plot Overview
Set against the backdrop of 19th century New Mexico, the film follows a young woman nearing the end of her pregnancy. She experiences visions of a malevolent creature that is half-man, half-wolf, only to discover that a different threat has already taken hold of her home. The casting process for the film is currently underway, and anticipation is building for this chilling narrative.
Production Insights
“Wolf at the Door” will be produced by Concord Originals’ Emmy-nominated executive vice president Sophia Dilley, renowned for her work on HBO’s “Stax: Soulsville, USA,” alongside VP of development Charles Hopkins, who produced “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It.” Executive producers for this project include Quíle Miguel Gomez, Victor Zaraya, and Bob Valentine.
Dilley expressed her excitement about this being the first play developed entirely in-house by the team, stating, “We’re film executives within a music and theater company… I’m really excited about what this represents and how it demonstrates our team’s ability to go beyond simply packaging and building projects.”
Expanding Creative Horizons
Hopkins echoed her sentiments, indicating that the project perfectly encapsulates Concord Originals’ mission to identify world-class intellectual property within BMG and reimagine it for the screen. The relatively young division, established in 2021, has a considerable challenge ahead with access to an extensive catalog of over 18,000 theatrical productions from Concord Theatricals, bolstered by the recent acquisition of RKO and its rich legacy of over 5,000 additional intellectual properties, including icons like Alfred Hitchcock’s “Suspicion.”
Dilley elaborated on the potential of RKO’s classic titles, noting, “There’s such a rich history and so much of it hasn’t been oversaturated, which makes it ripe for reinvention… I’m excited to explore what that approach could look like today.”
Diverse Projects in Development
Concord Originals is also working on other ambitious projects, including “Bleeding Love,” an original movie musical featuring hits from multi-Grammy winner Ryan Tedder, a limited series adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” in collaboration with Skydance TV, and additional projects with Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions for Disney+.
Building Connections Across Disciplines
Hopkins highlighted how San Martín’s affiliation with Lin-Manuel Miranda through the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative underlines the benefits of BMG’s broader artistic network: “That is the advantage we now have in this bigger organization, is that there are these connecting dots between all of the talent that we work with on the filmmaking side as well as the music and theater side.”
Dilley emphasized the integrated approach they aim to take in future projects, where a single property could evolve into multiple formats. She stated, “We cover so many different areas, so the exciting part is bringing them together… Our ambition is to take a 360 approach to projects wherever we can, connecting film and TV with music and theater.”
Commitment to Artistic Legacy
Concord Originals is dedicated to keeping artistic legacies alive, with Dilley concluding, “It’s about keeping artists, iconic legacies, and great IP in the zeitgeist, championing them and giving them the biggest cultural impact possible. That’s what guides everything we do.”
