Mena Suvari and David Arquette are set to play a married couple whose quiet home becomes a place of fear in Homesick, an independent horror thriller that begins filming in Winnipeg on October 21. Belle Shouse and Alberto Rosende round out the principal cast. Deadline first reported the casting news on October 20, with Dread Central and Bloody Disgusting subsequently carrying the story. Dread Central also confirmed the film’s October 21 production start.
Suvari, known for American Beauty, leads the film as Dr. Abby Morrison, while Arquette, best known for the Scream franchise, plays her husband, Gordy. Shouse, who appeared in Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, portrays the mysterious young woman at the centre of the story. Rosende, known for Chicago Fire, also joins the cast, although Deadline has not disclosed his character’s identity.
The story follows Abby, a caring physician whose carefully constructed life conceals a secret she has never shared with her husband. With their daughter away at college, Abby and Gordy are adjusting to life as empty nesters. Their newfound peace is disrupted when a mysterious young woman arrives and shatters their sense of security. What begins as an unsettling encounter soon spirals into a nightmare, forcing the couple to fight to protect each other in a home they can no longer trust.
The available plot description does not reveal the young woman’s identity or the nature of Abby’s secret, leaving both details undisclosed for now.
Rather than placing its characters in a haunted castle or an isolated forest, Homesick builds its horror around an ordinary family home. The threat emerges in the middle of everyday life, turning a familiar setting into a source of danger. The film uses the empty-nest stage, when a home becomes quieter after children leave for college, as the backdrop for its unsettling premise. Dread Central has described the project as a domestic horror film, while Bloody Disgusting has characterised it as an empty-nester horror thriller.
Todd Slavkin directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with his longtime writing and producing partner, Darren Swimmer. Slavkin’s television credits include Shadowhunters, The Mysterious Benedict Society and Smallville. The project marks his move into a feature built around a domestic horror premise. Deadline has described Homesick as an independent horror thriller.
The film is being produced by Evoke Entertainment and Freefall Films. Stan Spry, Henry Boger and Anthony Fankhauser are producing, while Jeff Holland, Geoff Silverman, Slavkin and Swimmer serve as executive producers. Pam Mitchell is attached as co-producer.
Both lead actors have continued to work in the horror genre. According to Bloody Disgusting, Arquette is currently on tour with Scream for the franchise’s 30th anniversary. He also stars in The Night Driver, which recently premiered at Screamfest. Suvari appears in the 13th season of American Horror Story and has recently completed production on the psychological horror film Kill Me Now.
The casting also brings together two performers strongly associated with established screen roles. Suvari became widely known through American Beauty, while Arquette remains closely linked to his portrayal of Dewey in the Scream franchise. Their pairing as a married couple facing an escalating threat gives Homesick an additional point of interest alongside its premise, particularly for horror audiences.
Several production details remain unannounced. No release date or distributor has been confirmed, and there is no information yet about where the film will be available to audiences. The reports also do not disclose its budget or provide a shooting schedule beyond the planned start in Winnipeg.
With its central premise, recognisable cast and production set to begin, Homesick is shaping up as a thriller focused on a couple whose most familiar surroundings become threatening. Its central question is straightforward: what happens when the place people trust most no longer feels safe? Further details about the film are expected to emerge as production progresses.
