Vertical Entertainment has acquired the U.S. rights to Participant Media’s supernatural thriller, ‘Out of the Dark.’ Vertical’s Co-President, Rich Goldberg, and Peter Jarowey negotiated the deal with Nate Bolotin at XYZ Films and Jeff Ivers for Participant. The movie will be presented by Vertical, in association with Participant Media and Image Nation. The thriller will be distributed in theaters by Vertical in early 2015.

Two new stills from the horror film, which stars Julia Stills, Scott Speedman and Stephen Rea, have also been released after Vertical’s acquisition. ‘Out of the Dark,’ which is set in South America, follows a young family’s new life as it turns from promising to terrifying when they are forced to confront ancient legends, ghosts and a haunting family secret.

Screenwriters Alex Pastor, David Pastor and Javier Gullón penned the script for the thriller, which was directed by first-time feature film helmer, Lluís Quílez. ‘Out of the Dark,’ which is a production of Apaches Entertainment, Cactus Flower and Fast Producciones, in association with Dynamo and XYZ Films, was shot on location in Colombia.

“We are delighted to have our first affiliation with both Participant and XYZ Films,” Goldberg said. “‘Out of the Dark’ is much more than it seems on the surface. We think it will surprise genre fans with its ability to reach beyond just the scares and great storytelling, and have a thought-provoking motif that will stay with them well after they see it.”

For more information on ‘Out of the Dark,’ visit the horror film’s official website. Check out the two new stills from the thriller below.

Written by: Karen Benardello