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'Deleter' director partners with Viva Films for Evolve Studios

MANILA — After the box-office and critical success of their first collaboration, "Deleter" filmmaker Mikhail Red and lead actress Nadine Lustre are set to team up anew for another horror offering.

The film with the working title "Nokturno" was one of two projects announced Thursday to be in development at the Red-helmed Evolve Studios, the director's newly launched partnership with Viva Films, which also produced "Deleter."

• Nadine Lustre wants 'more work' after 'Deleter' success

Slated for a 2023 release, "Noktruno" is described as a film "about a primal and supernatural curse that haunts a rural Filipino family and the daughter who left them to live overseas."

Lustre is the only confirmed cast member of "Noktruno" so far.

Evolve Studios' second project targeted for a 2023 rollout is "Helel" — "a sci-fi spiritual horror film set in the near future about a Filipina astronaut who encounters the devil."

The lead star of "Helel" has yet to be announced.

"Nokturno" and "Helel," according to Red, reflect the brand of Evolve Studios, which will primarily present "Filipino stories with exciting plots and imaginative ideas."

"We will take wild swings, aim for spectacle and fresh concepts, yet ground them in sustainable and feasible production. Our films aim to be accessible and exciting to the everyday Filipino audience and will have the craft, production value, and sensibilities for international export as well," Red said in a statement given to ABS-CBN News.

Red, who is also the director behind the acclaimed films "Eerie" and "Birdshot," said he aims to make Evolve Studios synonymous to "quality genre films that strive to both entertain and engage."

"We want to foster genre talent and collaborate with new and established artists and voices, to reinvigorate the industry and help diversify film output for the average Filipino audience," he added.

The filmmaker also hopes to make his partnership with Viva Films a global brand, through "Filipino genre work that we can proudly share with international audiences."

Evolve Studios, he explained, plans to enter partnerships and co-productions with "big streamers and satisfy their growing demand for foreign language content."

Viva Films considers Evolve Studios as a means to "future-proof" its content offerings across genres and platforms, according to Valerie Del Rosario, senior vice president for content creation and development for Viva Communications, Inc.

• Director believes Gen Z, 'word of mouth' boosted 'Deleter' at box office

The tie-up between the film industry giant and Red was spurred by the success of "Deleter," which hauled top awards a the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival aside from being a box-office triumph.

"We saw the potential of a strong partnership to continuously create quality genre films to reach the new growing audience whose viewing habits have changed due to globalization and rise of international streaming platforms. Viva believed and trusted my vision and voice," Red said.

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