Halloween is quickly creeping toward us, as are details about a thrilling new horror film that will feature the talents of former soap stars Barbara Crampton (ex-Leanna Randolph, The Young and the Restless; ex-Maggie Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Chris McKenna (ex-Det. Mark Harding, Y&R; ex-Dr. Hayden, B&B).
Deadline reports that principal photography has wrapped on the untitled film loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft's short story The Thing on the Doorstep. Also starring Heather Graham and Judah Lewis, the film is described as "an erotic body-swapping horror, in which a psychiatrist played by Graham becomes obsessed with a young client with multiple personalities."
Director Joe Lynch stated: "When I read Dennis Paoli's adaptation of the story, I felt like there was a fantastic opportunity to update and subvert Lovecraft's often old-fashioned sensibilities in a way that felt modern, relevant, and even dangerous, with a pinch of 90's neo-noir and a dash of eroticism to spice up the stew... We're so excited that this sexy, funny, scary film isn't just a modernized love letter to Lovecraft, but the kind of provocatively entertaining 'sin-ema' I believe audiences are salivating for!"
There's no word yet on how McKenna plays into the film, but the actor took to Twitter to express his enthusiasm about being a part of the project. "So excited to have been a part of this sick flick! So many amazing people signed up for this! It's directed by the demented genius @TheJoeLynch so you know it's gonna get weird."
So excited to have been a part of this sick flick! So many amazing people signed up for this! It's directed by the demented genius @TheJoeLynch so you know it's gonna get weird.🤘 pic.twitter.com/Wr9ItUuUdT
- Chris L. McKenna (@ChrisLMcKenna) July 29, 2022
Crampton's role in the film also has yet to be announced, but she is listed as a producer alongside Bob Portal, Inderpal Singh, and Joe Wicker for genre specialist producer and seller Amp, in association with Mississippi-based Eyevox Entertainment.
"I was ecstatic when first the formidable Joe Lynch, then Heather Graham signed on -- her natural charm is always in evidence, but we get to see a different untapped side of her abilities here," Crampton said in a statement. "I've been thrilled to be invited to join seasoned pros at Amp, and we are only getting started."
Crampton has many horror films on her résumé and is often referred to as a "scream queen." Some of her films include From Beyond, You're Next, We're Still Here, and Re-Animator. However, daytime fans likely recognize her from her various soap roles, including Days of our Lives' Trista Evans, Guiding Light's Mindy Lewis, B&B's Maggie Forrester, and Y&R's Leanne Randolph.
McKenna got his start as an actor with the role of Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live, which he played from 1990 to 1993. He went on to appear in series like Opposite Sex and 90210 before briefly returning to daytime as Y&R's Detective Mark Harding from 2014 to 2015 and as The Bold and the Beautiful's Dr. Hayden in 2016. Since that time, his credits include Frequency, Grimm, Major Crimes, and Good Trouble.
What do you think about the premise and casting of Crampton and McKenna's untitled horror film based on a story by H.P. Lovecraft? Do you miss seeing the actors in soap operas? We want to hear from you -- and there are many ways you can share your thoughts.
