By Jon Donnis
Filming has wrapped on The Nice Ones, a new psychological horror-thriller from writer and director Peter Stylianou. After gaining attention with his 2024 vampire feature Drained, Stylianou returns with a story that blends intimate paranoia with unsettling cosmic dread.
The film stars Joelle Rae (The Witcher) and Emrhys Cooper (Nosferatu) as Kate and Dale, a couple whose countryside trip with friends unravels in terrifying fashion. What begins as a carefree reunion at a chic Airbnb soon turns sinister after Kate spots strange lights in the sky. As paranoia takes hold, tensions within the group fracture, and an unseen force begins to infiltrate their retreat. Kate must face both her past and a threat that feels disturbingly otherworldly.
The ensemble cast brings together a mix of established and rising talent, including Donna Preston (The Sandman), Ian Whyte (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Daniela Norman (Tiny Pretty Things), Ayvianna Snow (How to Kill Monsters), James Akka (The Sandman), Nick Lavelle (Red XII), Tom Kelsey (National Theatre Live: Dr. Strangelove), and Andrew Lyle-Pinnock (The Little Mermaid).
Stylianou describes the project as an exploration of identity and trust, playing with the fear that those closest to us may not be who they appear to be. Produced by RG Films, Level 33 Entertainment, and Snow Pictures, the feature also marks Ayvianna Snow’s first step into producing, after building a career with more than seventy screen roles. Level 33 will oversee worldwide distribution.
The Nice Ones promises a sharp mix of character-driven tension and eerie, supernatural unease, setting up Stylianou as a filmmaker to watch in the independent horror space.
