Summoner (2017) - James Secker Film News

Giorgia Whigham has signed on to star opposite Kevin Bacon in the Amazon MGM horror thriller Summoner, sources confirmed to Hollywood Buzz News. The project marks a significant addition to Whigham’s already busy slate, as she continues to build a reputation for taking on genre fare with a sharp edge.

Whigham, known for her roles in The Society and Daredevil on Netflix, will play a character central to the supernatural conflict at the heart of the story. While plot details remain tightly under wraps, insiders describe the film as a high-concept ghost story that reimagines the afterlife as a far more menacing place than traditional lore suggests. The logline for the feature teases a world where the spirits of the dead are not just lingering echoes but the most widespread and dangerous threat humanity faces. In that landscape, an enigmatic ghost-hunter - presumably played by Bacon - is called upon to confront a menace unlike any he has encountered before, one that pushes his skills and his sanity to the limit.

The casting of Whigham pairs her with Bacon, a veteran actor who has consistently gravitated toward dark, character-driven thrillers throughout his career, from Footloose to The Following and more recently the horror hit You Should Have Left. Her addition signals that the production is assembling a cast that balances experience with up-and-coming talent, a formula that has served Amazon MGM well in recent releases.

This is not the first time the Summoner title has appeared in the entertainment ecosystem, though the new feature is a wholly separate and expanded project. A short film of the same name was released in 2017, directed by James Secker and starring Adam McNab in the lead role. That original version ran a brisk 20 minutes and featured a small ensemble, including Mhairi Calvey as Maria and Kate Davies-Speak as Gloria, alongside Alexandra Hansler and Mike Carr. The short centered on a character called the Summoner, a figure who dealt directly with the dead, and laid the groundwork for the mythology that the new feature is expected to explore in far greater depth. While the short received little mainstream attention and holds a notably low rating on review aggregator TMDb, the core premise proved compelling enough for Amazon MGM to develop it into a full-length feature with a major studio push.

For Whigham, the role represents a move deeper into horror, a genre where she has already shown considerable range. On television, she earned praise for her portrayal of a morally complex character in The Society, a Netflix drama about teens trapped in a duplicate of their town, and later took on the role of a vigilante’s daughter in the final season of Daredevil. She has also appeared in films such as Pimped and the comedy Sextuplets, demonstrating a willingness to shift between tones and genres. Her upcoming projects include a lead role in the psychological thriller The Inheritance, which premiered earlier this year to positive notices, and a part in the sci-fi drama After Yang, which debuted in theaters last spring.

The Summoner feature is still in the early stages of pre-production, with casting ongoing and a director yet to be officially announced. However, the attachment of Bacon and now Whigham suggests the studio is moving quickly to lock in key talent before the fall production window. Bacon, who recently wrapped work on the crime drama The Bondsman for Prime Video, has been selective about his projects in recent years, favoring roles that offer psychological complexity over pure action. The prospect of him stepping into the role of a seasoned ghost-hunter aligns with his recent trajectory toward slower-burn, atmospheric storytelling.

Amazon MGM has been aggressive in expanding its horror and genre slate, recognizing the genre’s reliable draw among streaming audiences. The studio has found success with titles like The Devil’s Hour on Prime Video and a slate of low-budget but high-concept horror films that have performed well with subscribers. Summoner appears designed to occupy a middle ground - ambitious enough to attract a well-known lead like Bacon, yet rooted in a simple, terrifying premise that could resonate with audiences looking for big scares without requiring a massive special-effects budget.

Whigham’s specific role in the film remains undisclosed, but sources suggest she will play a character with a personal connection to the ghost-hunter’s mission, possibly a skeptic or a reluctant ally who becomes central to the unfolding danger. Given the logline’s emphasis on the ghost-hunter getting “more than he bargained for,” her character could serve as the catalyst that forces him to confront a threat far larger than a simple haunting.

Production on Summoner is expected to begin before the end of the year, with a release date likely set for late 2027 or early 2028, depending on post-production demands. The film’s visual approach is still being finalized, but early discussions have reportedly centered on a practical-effects-heavy aesthetic, favoring tangible set pieces over digital embellishment - a style that has seen a resurgence in horror filmmaking in recent years.

For now, the announcement of Whigham’s casting adds another layer of intrigue to a project that is quickly becoming one of the more closely watched genre titles in development. With Bacon and Whigham attached, Summoner has the makings of a film that could satisfy both critics and genre fans, provided the script delivers on the promise of its unsettling premise. As more details emerge - including the director announcement and further casting - Hollywood Buzz News will continue to track the story.

Source: Hollywood Reporter