Sundance Genre-Bender ‘Your Monster’ Starring Melissa Barrera & Tommy Dewey Lands At Vertical

EXCLUSIVE: Following its world premiere at Sundance, the horror rom-com Your Monster, starring Melissa Barrera (In the Heights) and Tommy Dewey (The Mindy Project), has landed at Vertical for North American distribution.

Marking the feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who adapted the script from her own short film, Your Monster also stars Edmund Donovan (Gossip Girl), Kayla Foster (Call Jane) and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus). No word yet on a release date.

The pic tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams, open her heart and fall in love with her inner rage.

“We were captivated by Caroline’s film at Sundance and thrilled it has made a home here at Vertical,” Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey said. “Marking her directorial feature debut, she has created a fantastic, fresh, genre-defying film that perfectly balances the mix of comedy, romance and horror topped off with a dash of musical theater that will captivate and delight audiences later this year.”

Stated Lindy: “I’m beyond thrilled to collaborate with Vertical on the release of Your Monster. Their  strategies and commitment to innovative distribution aligns perfectly with our movie, and their passion for the film and desire to support my first feature means the world to me. The Sundance crowds were incredible, and I’m excited that more audiences will soon have a chance to see Your Monster in theaters and beyond.”

The film is produced by Kayla Foster, Caroline Lindy, Kira Carstensen, Melanie Donkers and Shannon Reilly, and executive produced by Bob Potter, Dewey, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford. Jackson Sinder, Jack Taylor Cox, and Alex Peace-Power were co-producers.

Jarowey and SVP Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi negotiated the deal for Vertical, with WME Independent negotiating on behalf of the production.