XYZ Films has acquired worldwide sales rights outside of Japan for “Never After Dark,” a supernatural horror feature that recently wrapped production under Tokyo-based production company Signal181. The deal was revealed at the Cannes market.
The indie studio continues its push into international genre fare by executive producing and handling sales for this Japanese-language horror film. Executive producers include Todd Brown and Aram Tertzakian for XYZ Films.
Critic’s Choice Award winner Moeka Hoshi (“Shōgun”) stars as a medium who travels deep into the Japanese countryside to perform a routine exorcism, where she is forced to confront the most terrifying enemy of all: the living.
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“Never After Dark” reunites the creative team of producer Kento Kaku and director Dave Boyle, who previously collaborated on the 2024 Japanese-language Netflix global hit “House of Ninjas.” Signal181 was formed by Kaku and Boyle in 2024, with “Never After Dark” marking the newly launched shingle’s first project.
Shot on location in the Japanese countryside, the film features production design and practical effects from some of Japan’s top craftsmen. Written and directed by Boyle, the film is produced by Boyle, Kaku and Signal181. Currently in post-production, the project is eyeing a wide theatrical release in Japan in 2026.
Kaku, a superstar in Japan and one of the market’s top commercial pitchmen, made his producing debut with “House of Ninjas,” in which he plays the lead role and co-wrote the original story. Boyle previously directed the neo-noir “Man From Reno,” which was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award at the 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Co-founder and producer Kosuke Tsutsumi serves as CEO of Signal181.
This acquisition adds to XYZ’s slate of upcoming titles including SXSW standout thriller “Hallow Road,” directed by Babak Anvari and starring Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys; “The Trip,” starring Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Juliette Lewis and Timothy Olyphant, which is currently in post-production; “Havoc,” directed by Gareth Evans and starring Tom Hardy and Forrest Whitaker, which premiered on Netflix in April; true-story exorcism thriller “The Ritual” starring Al Pacino and Dan Stevens, which releases wide this summer; and “Something Beautiful,” the new visual album from Miley Cyrus.
