[News] Shudder Acquires ONE CUT OF THE DEAD

The little, $27,000 indie zombie comedy that became a box office smash in Japan and around the world is finally coming to North America when ONE CUT OF THE DEAD debuts on Shudder later this year.

AMC Networks’ streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural picked up all rights in the U.S. and Canada to the international hit, which currently holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed a staggering $28 million in Japan and $30 million worldwide. Shudder also acquired all rights in Australia and New Zealand, where the service is set to launch later this year.

Shinichiro Ueda’s ONE CUT OF THE DEAD starts with a film crew shooting a zombie movie who stumble into an actual zombie outbreak—all shot in a single, 37-minute take. From there, the story widens its focus, transforming into a comedic love letter to the spirit of indie filmmaking that conjures up unstoppable ingenuity in the face of overwhelming odds. ONE CUT OF THE DEAD‘s wild, crowd-pleasing final 30 minutes reframes everything you thought you saw in an outrageous new light. The film’s cast, mostly non-professionals, is led by Harumi Shuhama, Kazuaki Nagaya, Mao and Takayuki Hamatsu.

Critics have fallen hard for ONE CUT OF THE DEAD. IndieWire called it “the best zombie comedy since Shaun of the Dead.” Film School Rejects deemed it “not only the best zombie comedy in years, but it’s also the best movie about indie filmmaking in decades.” And Screen Anarchy said “I’ve never seen anything quite like ONE CUT OF THE DEAD. A sublime, almost religious, experience that reminds me why I love movies.” An English language remake has already been announced.

The deal was negotiated by Shudder’s Emily Gotto and Third Window Films’ Adam Torel, on behalf of producer Koji Ichihashi of Enbu Seminar.

“ONE CUT OF THE DEAD is pure joy, especially in its final act as all the pieces click into place and the film soars,” said Shudder’s Emily Gotto. “It’s exactly the kind of film Shudder members love to discover.”

With ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, Shudder continues to prove itself as an essential service for both genre fans and cinephiles alike. Recent Shudder Original and Shudder Exclusive films includeMandy, Revenge, Summer of ‘84 and the documentary Horror Noire.

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Shannon McGrew

Founder/Co-Owner at Nightmarish Conjurings

Shannon is the Founder of Nightmarish Conjurings and a lover of all things horror and haunt related. When she's not obsessively collecting all things "Trick 'R Treat" related, or trying to convince everyone that "Hereditary" is one of the greatest horror films ever made, you can find her designing interiors for commercial restaurants. An avid haunt fan, Shannon spends the entire year visiting haunts and immersive experiences throughout the Southern California area and hopes to one day design her own haunted attraction.

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