Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Demián Bichir to Star in Álex de la Iglesia’s Action-Thriller ‘Hold the Devil’ From ‘Black Doves’ Writer Joe Barton (EXCLUSIVE)

Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Oscar nominee Demián Bichir are teaming up for an action-thriller involving murderous Mexican cartels, possessed kids and supernatural forces.

“Hold the Devil,” being directed by Álex de la Iglesia (“The Day of the Beast”) from a screenplay by Joe Barton (“Black Doves,” “The Ritual”), is being launched in the Cannes market by Protagonist Pictures, who rep international sales.

Related Stories

YouTube Pumps Up Ad Sales 10.7% to $9.9 Billion in Q1

Tim Cook Stepping Down as Apple CEO, to Be Succeeded by John Ternus at Tech Giant

Described as “blending gritty, grounded action with supernatural horror” in a “explosive fusion of haunted-house terror and home-invasion intensity,” the film is being produced by Two & Two Pictures (“I Came By,” “Hallow Road”), Fifth Season and Pokeepsie Films (“My Fault,” “El Bar”).

According to the synopsis, “Hold the Devil” sees police officer Sara Myall (Randolph) and security guard Henry Campos (Bichir) arrive at an abandoned show home on the Texas border to investigate a break in, only to discover a wounded mother and her ten-year-old son Gio taking shelter after crossing the Mexican border. But when the murderous cartel leader Marcus arrives and demands Gio is handed over to him, it is clear that Gio is no ordinary child. He harbors a dark, supernatural power that Marcus wants for himself. Trapped inside the house as more gang members arrive and threaten violence, Sara and Campos must choose between giving the boy up or fighting for their lives.

“What drew me to this project was the opportunity to blend action and horror in a way that feels both cinematic and deeply human,” said Iglesia. “I couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with Demián Bichir and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, two actors of extraordinary presence and emotional intelligence. In this film, two demons coexist under one roof, and you never know which will strike first.”

Lucan Toh and Bryan Sonderman produce for Two &Two Pictures and Carolina Bang for Pokeepsie Films, alongside Fifth Season. Protagonist Pictures’ Dave Bishop, James Pugh, and George Hamilton serve as executive producers. Corin Hardy will also serve as an Executive Producer. CAA Media Finance represents domestic rights.

“Alex is a filmmaker with a proven track record of making bold impactful movies and with ‘Hold the Devil’ he is taking it to the next level, delivering elevated genre storytelling with a broad commercial appeal,” said Protagonist CEO Bishop. “Starring Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Academy Award nominee Demián Bichir, ‘Hold the Devil’ is a muscular, high-concept action-thriller. Let the carnage be unleashed.”

Da’vine Joy Randolph and Demián Bichir are repped by CAA.