Since The Office closed its doors in 2013, Rainn Wilson has been steadily turning in supporting performances in independent productions. That run looks set to continue, with news that the actor has joined the cast of The Boy, which began filming in Columbia in February.
The Boy is envisioned as the first part of a film trilogy that will chart the development of a mass murderer named Ted Henley – visiting him at the ages of 9, 14 and 18. In this initial instalment, Ted will be played by Jared Breeze, with David Morse and Mike Vogel – both about to be seen in the mystery thriller, McCanick – also in the cast. Craig Macneill (The Afterlight) is directing from a script he co-wrote with Clay McLeod Chapman.
The origins of this planned trilogy lie in Chapman’s own novel – ‘Miss Corpus’ – published in 2003. That story follows two unconnected strangers on their respective, but particularly disturbing, roadtrips. Before their paths collide, they meet an array of dark peripheral characters, including Ted Henley. It is from here that the protagonist of The Boy springs.
Developing the idea further, Macneill and Chapman produced an award-winning 11 minute short film – Henley – which made a huge impression at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. That short focuses entirely on the child character, and its synopsis reads:
“Meet 9 year old Ted Henley, budding motel manager and roadkill entrepreneur.”
With Henley as a blueprint, of sorts, The Boy was born as “an intimate portrait of a 9 year old sociopath as he first discovers his taste for killing.” The film is being produced by SpectreVision – a ‘multi-media venture’ that produces film, TV, music and games, and was founded in 2010 by actor Elijah Wood and directors Josh C Waller and Daniel Noah. The company, originally known as The Woodshed, underwent a re-branding in 2013 and focuses on the horror genre, for the most part.
Production on The Boy is currently underway. We’ll keep you posted when we hear more.
