When Stephen King takes to Twitter to rave about a horror movie, horror fans across the world scramble to get their hands on it. The latest King-approved horror movie is titled The Rule of Jenny Pen, and while King wants you to watch it, that’s not actually possible… yet.
Stephen King took to Twitter this week to rave about The Rule of Jenny Pen, a psychological thriller that just premiered at Fantastic Fest last week. The good news? It’s coming to Shudder in 2025, with the streaming service just announcing the news a couple weeks back.
King tweets, “I watched one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. It’s called THE RULE OF JENNY PEN, and I urge you to watch it when it appears on Shudder. Geoffrey Rush stars, with John Lithgow as a geriatric psychopath with an evil hand puppet.”
Check out King’s tweet below and read on for more about the upcoming horror movie.
Directed by James Ashcroft and co-written by Eli Kent and Ashcroft, next year’s The Rule of Jenny Pen follows Ashcroft’s acclaimed feature debut Coming Home in the Dark.
In the film, “Arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush) suffers a near-fatal stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home. Resistant to the staff and distant from his friendly roommate, Mortensen soon clashes with seemingly gentle resident Dave Crealy (Lithgow) who secretly terrorizes the home with a sadistic game called “The Rule of Jenny Pen” while wielding his dementia doll as an instrument of cruelty.
“What begins as 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ish torment quickly escalates into far more sinister and disturbing incidents. When Mortensen’s pleas to the staff go unanswered, he takes it upon himself to put an end to Crealy’s reign of terror.”
“Working with two of my acting heroes, Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow, was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Partnering with Shudder and opening Fantastic Fest 2024 is just the stick of cinematic dynamite with which I wanted to launch this film into the world,” James Ashcroft recently said. “Shudder has always been groundbreaking in genre cinema, passionately committed to the vision of the filmmaker; I can think of no better home for The Rule of Jenny Pen.”
Shudder Emily Gotto’s also commented, “We have been fans of James Ashcroft since his chilling debut Coming Home in the Dark premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, showcasing his undeniable talent. His sharp eye for deeply observed characters and tragic circumstances explores the darkest corners of humanity with visceral thrills, and coupled with unforgettable performances from John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush, The Rule of Jenny Pen is a film that will linger with you long after viewing.”
The Rule of Jenny Pen is produced by Catherine Fitzgerald and Orlando Stewart, and executive produced by Ashcroft, Eli Kent, John Lithgow, Geoffrey Rush, and Shudder’s Emily Gotto, Nicholas Lazo and Samuel Zimmerman.
I watched one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. It’s called THE RULE OF JENNY PEN, and I urge you to watch it when it appears on Shudder. Geoffrey Rush stars, with John Lithgow as a geriatric psychopath with an evil hand puppet.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 25, 2024
