Good news for everyone patiently waiting to watch hot monks battle zombies: Rapture finally appears ready to begin filming.
The queer medieval body horror film starring Kit Connor, Will Poulter and Manu Ríos is scheduled to start production in October, according to a new listing from Production Weekly. Cameras originally were expected to begin rolling in Hungary in 2025, but the project seemingly faced a delay.
No official release date has been announced, so audiences probably shouldn’t expect Rapture before 2027 at the earliest. Still, an October production date is the clearest sign yet that the undead romance is moving forward.
Hot Monks, Forbidden Love and Zombies
Set in Yorkshire in 1348, Rapture follows the 10 monks living inside the remote Lansley Abbey as the Black Death reaches the British Isles.
Their quiet lives are disrupted when a messenger arrives carrying news of a mysterious illness. Unfortunately, he also appears to be carrying the illness itself. The infection begins with hemorrhagic fever before transforming its victims into “revenants,” restless undead creatures that are significantly less interested in prayer.
As terrified outsiders beg to be let inside, the monks must decide whether to help the sick or close the gates and protect the centuries of knowledge stored within the monastery. Naturally, the disagreement leads to chaos, betrayal and plenty of bloodshed.
Somewhere between the theological crisis and zombie invasion, there is also romance.
Writer-director Jordan Tannahill said the story centers on “the deep, passionate relationship between these two young monks who have grown up together.” The actors playing the pair have not been revealed, so it remains unclear whether Connor, Poulter or Ríos will be getting involved in the film’s monk-on-monk drama.
When Can We Watch ‘Rapture’?
Connor and Poulter previously appeared together in Alex Garland’s Warfare, while Poulter is no stranger to horror after starring in Midsommar and Death of a Unicorn. Ríos is best known for Elite and also appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s queer Western Strange Way of Life.
Rapture will mark Tannahill’s feature directorial debut. Elevation Pictures, 2AM and Brookstreet Pictures are producing, while Lamb cinematographer Eli Arenson is attached as director of photography.
IFC and Shudder have acquired the film’s U.S. distribution rights, with True Brit handling the U.K. release.
