Kevin Bacon's New Horror Film Summoner Adds Stephanie Beatriz and Daniel Ings as Filming Begins

Kevin Bacon Returns to Supernatural Horror in Summoner

Kevin Bacon is preparing to face another terrifying supernatural threat, and this time he will be the one attempting to drive the evil away.

Amazon MGM Studios has officially begun production on Summoner, an upcoming supernatural horror film starring Bacon as an exorcist who encounters a dangerous demonic presence at an isolated property.

According to an announcement reported by Deadline on 16 October 2026, the production has also added two familiar faces to its cast.

Stephanie Beatriz, best known for portraying Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Daniel Ings, whose credits include The Gentlemen and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, have both joined the project.

The film is written and directed by Jeremy Slater, the creator of The Exorcist television series, and will mark his feature directorial debut.

With an experienced horror star leading the cast and several notable genre filmmakers involved behind the scenes, Summoner is shaping up to be an interesting addition to the growing list of supernatural horror productions.

What Is Summoner About?

The film follows Jefferson Haddock, an exorcist portrayed by Kevin Bacon, who is called to an isolated witness-protection property to investigate a terrifying demonic presence.

However, what should be a confrontation with a single supernatural entity quickly becomes something considerably more dangerous.

During the encounter, Haddock accidentally unleashes a powerful force that threatens not only his own survival but potentially everything around him.

The premise combines several familiar horror ingredients.

An isolated location, a dangerous supernatural entity and a protagonist whose attempts to contain the threat may actually make the situation worse.

The witness-protection setting is particularly intriguing.

Such properties are designed to provide secrecy and security, keeping vulnerable individuals hidden from those who might wish to harm them.

However, that same isolation could become a serious disadvantage when the threat is something that cannot be stopped by conventional means.

The film's premise raises several interesting questions.

Why has a demonic presence appeared at this particular location?

Who is being protected there?

And what exactly does Haddock unleash during his attempt to confront the entity?

For now, Amazon MGM Studios has not revealed those answers.

The identity of the supernatural force, the wider mythology and the precise circumstances surrounding the exorcism remain undisclosed.

Stephanie Beatriz and Daniel Ings Join the Cast

The latest announcement confirms that Stephanie Beatriz and Daniel Ings have joined Kevin Bacon in the production.

Beatriz became widely recognised for her performance as Detective Rosa Diaz in the comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

She has also appeared in In the Heights and provided the voice of Mirabel Madrigal in Disney's animated musical Encanto.

Her involvement brings an actor with considerable experience across comedy, drama and voice performance into the supernatural horror genre.

Daniel Ings, meanwhile, has appeared in several notable television productions, including Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen and the Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

He is also known for his roles in Lovesick and Sex Education.

Neither Beatriz nor Ings has had their character revealed.

It is therefore unclear whether they will portray individuals living at the witness-protection property, people involved in the investigation or characters connected to the supernatural threat.

The cast also includes Giorgia Whigham, who was attached to the project before the latest announcement.

Whigham has previous horror experience through her appearance in MTV's Scream television series and the second season of The Punisher.

Further casting details may emerge as filming continues.

Jeremy Slater Makes His Feature Directorial Debut

One of the most interesting aspects of Summoner is the filmmaker responsible for bringing the story to the screen.

Jeremy Slater has spent much of his career working across horror, fantasy and action, but Summoner will mark his first feature film as a director.

He has written the screenplay and will oversee the production himself.

Horror audiences will be particularly familiar with his involvement in The Exorcist, the television adaptation of the legendary supernatural horror franchise that premiered in 2016.

Slater developed the series for Fox, creating a story that initially appeared to be a new interpretation of demonic possession before revealing deeper connections to the original film.

The show earned praise for its atmosphere, performances and willingness to expand the franchise's mythology.

Although it ran for only two seasons, The Exorcist developed a dedicated following among supernatural horror enthusiasts.

Slater's other credits include work on Netflix's The Umbrella Academy, Marvel Studios' Moon Knight, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Mortal Kombat II.

His experience with demonic possession and supernatural storytelling makes Summoner a natural project for his directorial debut.

However, writing a horror series and directing a feature film present different creative challenges.

It will be interesting to see how Slater translates his experience with supernatural mythology into a self-contained cinematic story.

The Filmmakers Behind IT and Longlegs Are Involved

The production also features several notable names behind the camera.

Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti are producing the film alongside Russell Ackerman through their Nocturna production banner.

Andy Muschietti is particularly well known among horror audiences for directing Mama and the successful two-part adaptation of Stephen King's IT.

His work on IT helped introduce Pennywise to a new generation of horror fans, combining elaborate supernatural imagery with stories about childhood trauma and fear.

Barbara Muschietti has worked alongside him on several productions, including IT and IT Chapter Two.

The pair have also been involved in expanding Stephen King's fictional town of Derry through the television series IT: Welcome to Derry.

Another notable name is Dan Kagan, who serves as an executive producer.

Kagan previously worked on Longlegs, the 2024 occult horror thriller starring Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe.

Directed by Osgood Perkins, Longlegs became one of the most discussed horror releases of its year thanks to its unsettling atmosphere, occult themes and disturbing central mystery.

While the involvement of these filmmakers does not reveal exactly what Summoner will look like, it gives the project a production team with considerable experience in contemporary supernatural horror.

Kevin Bacon Has a Long History With Horror

For many audiences, Kevin Bacon is associated with a wide variety of dramatic, comedic and action roles.

However, his relationship with horror stretches back more than four decades.

One of his earliest major film appearances came in Friday the 13th (1980), where he portrayed Jack Burrell, one of the young counsellors targeted by the killer at Camp Crystal Lake.

Although his character did not survive the film, the appearance helped establish Bacon's early connection to the genre.

He later starred in Tremors (1990), the cult creature feature in which the residents of a small desert town battle enormous underground monsters.

The film became a fan favourite thanks to its combination of suspense, humour and memorable practical creature effects.

Bacon also appeared in Flatliners (1990), a supernatural thriller exploring the consequences of medical students deliberately experiencing near-death states.

In 1999, he starred in Stir of Echoes, playing a man whose life begins to unravel after a hypnosis session leaves him experiencing disturbing supernatural visions.

That film remains one of his most memorable performances within the genre.

Other horror and thriller appearances include:

• Hollow Man (2000)
• You Should Have Left (2020)
• They/Them (2022)
• MaXXXine (2024)

More recently, Bacon starred in the supernatural television series The Bondsman, portraying a bounty hunter who returns from the dead and becomes involved in hunting demonic threats.

His role in Summoner therefore continues a longstanding relationship with horror, while offering another opportunity to explore a character directly confronting supernatural forces.

A Different Kind of Exorcism Story?

Demonic possession and exorcism have been staples of horror cinema for decades.

Ever since William Friedkin's The Exorcist arrived in 1973, filmmakers have repeatedly returned to stories involving priests, supernatural entities and the struggle between human beings and demonic forces.

However, Summoner appears to be approaching the concept from a slightly different direction.

Rather than focusing exclusively on a possessed individual, the confirmed premise centres on an exorcist whose attempt to deal with a demon accidentally unleashes something far more dangerous.

That suggests the consequences of the ritual itself could become a major part of the story.

The isolated witness-protection location also offers a distinctive setting.

Unlike a traditional haunted house or religious institution, the property exists to protect someone from a very real human threat.

Introducing a supernatural danger into that environment creates an interesting contrast between conventional security and something that cannot be controlled through ordinary precautions.

There is also the possibility that Haddock's actions could transform an initially contained situation into a much larger nightmare.

However, the precise nature of the unleashed force has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear how closely the film will follow traditional exorcism mythology.

These possibilities are intriguing, but audiences will need to wait for further story details before drawing firm conclusions.

Summoner Has Officially Begun Production

The most significant development in the latest announcement is that Summoner has moved into active production.

Amazon MGM Studios confirmed that filming is underway alongside the news of its additional cast members.

This represents an important step forward for the project, which was initially announced with Kevin Bacon attached to star.

With Jeremy Slater directing and the production team assembled, the film is now progressing beyond the early development stage.

However, several important details remain unknown.

Amazon MGM has not announced the full cast, the precise filming locations or when principal photography is expected to conclude.

The studio has also not released an official trailer or promotional footage.

The film is being developed for a theatrical release, although its eventual distribution schedule has yet to be confirmed.

When Will Summoner Be Released?

As of 17 October 2026, Summoner does not have an official release date.

Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed plans for a theatrical release, but has not announced when the film will arrive in cinemas.

With production now underway, further information is likely to emerge as filming progresses.

For now, there is no confirmed release window, trailer date or UK cinema schedule.

Any suggested premiere date would therefore be speculation rather than an official announcement.

Could Summoner Become a Standout Supernatural Horror Film?

The supernatural horror genre remains crowded, particularly when it comes to stories involving demonic possession and exorcisms.

For Summoner to stand out, it will need more than familiar religious imagery and frightening supernatural encounters.

Fortunately, the project has several elements working in its favour.

Kevin Bacon brings decades of experience and a proven ability to portray characters confronting extraordinary circumstances.

Jeremy Slater has already demonstrated an understanding of possession-based horror through his work on The Exorcist television series.

The producing team includes filmmakers associated with some of the most recognisable horror productions of recent years.

And the witness-protection premise provides a setting that could help distinguish the film from more conventional exorcism stories.

Of course, an impressive collection of names does not guarantee a successful horror film.

The real test will be whether Summoner can deliver compelling characters, an effective supernatural threat and the kind of atmosphere that stays with audiences after the credits roll.

Kevin Bacon Is Preparing to Face Another Demon

More than forty-five years after his appearance in the original Friday the 13th, Kevin Bacon continues to return to the genre that helped launch his career.

This time, however, he is not playing an unsuspecting victim at a summer camp.

He is portraying an exorcist whose attempt to confront evil could unleash something considerably worse.

With Stephanie Beatriz and Daniel Ings joining the cast, Jeremy Slater making his feature directorial debut and producers behind IT and Longlegs involved, Summoner has assembled a promising creative team.

There is still much to learn about the film, particularly its supernatural mythology, the characters surrounding Jefferson Haddock and the nature of the threat he accidentally releases.

But with production officially underway, those answers should gradually begin to emerge.

Summoner is currently filming for Amazon MGM Studios, with a theatrical release date yet to be announced.