“The Carmilla Movie,” based on the lesbian-vampire romance web series that has become a cult favorite, is set to hit the internet — as well as theaters in Canada — next month.
The film will be available to fans who pre-ordered the film from Vimeo’s VHX beginning Oct. 26. Then on Oct. 27, “The Carmilla Movie” will hit subscription VOD service Fullscreen, the exclusive worldwide streaming home for the film.
In addition, the film’s producer, Toronto-based Shaftesbury, is teaming with Cineplex Events to hold screenings in 30 cities across Canada on Oct. 26. The theatrical screenings of “The Carmilla Movie” will feature additional footage that will not be available on streaming platforms carrying the film.
“’Carmilla’ is a global phenomenon, and we are so thrilled to bring our beloved characters and captivating story world to the big screen,” said Christina Jennings, chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury and executive producer of the movie.
The series and film come from Shaftesbury’s Smokebomb Entertainment digital studio and its shift2 branded-entertainment agency. The “Carmilla” series, which debuted in August 2014, is sponsored by Kimberly-Clark’s U by Kotex feminine-hygiene brand.
“The Carmilla Movie” stars Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis, who appeared in the original series. Additional cast members include Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Grace Lynn Kung, and Cara Gee as well as returning “Carmilla” cast Annie Briggs, Kaitlyn Alexander, Nicole Stamp, and Matt O’Connor.
In the movie, it has been five years since Laura (Bauman) and Carmilla (Negovanlis) vanquished the apocalypse and Carmilla became a bona-fide mortal. They’ve settled into a cozy apartment in downtown Toronto, as Laura continues to hone her journalism skills and Carmilla adjusts to a non-vampire lifestyle — before Carmilla begins to show signs of “re-vamping” and Laura has started having bizarre, ghostly dreams. The couple must enlist their old friends from Silas University to uncover the unknown supernatural threat and save humanity – and Carmilla herself.
“The Carmilla Movie” is directed by Spencer Maybee (who worked on the “Carmilla” series), with a story by Alejandro Alcoba (“Degrassi: The Next Generation”) and screenplay by Alcoba and Jordan Hall. The movie is based on the digital series written by Hall, and co-created by Hall, Jay Bennett, and Steph Ouaknine. The movie is executive produced by Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, and Bennett, and produced by Ouaknine and Melanie Windle.
The “Carmilla” digital series, comprising 108 five-minute episodes in three seasons, puts a modern spin on the 19th-century Gothic vampire novella of the same name by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Available on YouTube channel KindaTV and Fullscreen, the series has generated more than 69 million views and 233 million minutes of watch time since its launch in 2014.
Pictured above (l. to r.) in scene from “The Carmilla Movie”: Mel (Nicole Stamp), Kirsch (Matt O’Connor), Laura (Elise Bauman), Carmilla (Natasha Negovanlis), Perry (Annie Briggs) and LaFontaine (Kaitlyn Alexander)
