Director Dave Boyle's new horror film, Never After Dark, is set to deliver a unique take on the genre, blending ghost stories, haunted house tropes, and serial killer thrillers. The film stars Moeka Hoshi as Airi, a clairvoyant tasked with exorcising spirits, who finds herself confronting more dangerous forces: the living. Boyle, known for his diverse filmmaking background spanning intimate indies and action dramas, approaches this project with a blend of precise camera work and a focus on human experience.
Boyle explained that his fascination with ghost stories, particularly haunted house movies, often stems from a disappointment with their endings. He aimed to create a narrative that diverts from conventional resolutions, seeking a conclusion that feels earned and organically derived from the story itself. "The idea that the ghost at the center of the story needs some kind of satisfaction or some redemption at the end in order to be free from it, or else there's some kind of showdown between human and ghost," Boyle stated, explaining his desire for a different path.
His journey into horror filmmaking wasn't straightforward. After initially gaining attention for his comedies, Boyle found the opportunity to pursue his long-held desire to make a horror movie following his work on the Netflix show House of Ninjas. A key element for him was creating a protagonist who is unafraid of ghosts, shifting the challenge to finding ways to instill fear in the audience through other means.
The film's protagonist, Airi, is intentionally positioned within a belief system that is neither strictly Japanese nor Western, a deliberate choice to evoke a sense of the unfamiliar for all audiences. Boyle focused on making the rituals and practices depicted feel authentic and understandable without explicit narration. The cinematic ritual Airi employs to enter the spirit world, involving candles, hair, and a mirror, was entirely conceived by Boyle. He described it as a procedural element that structures the film, with each instance of the ritual introducing a slightly different twist.
The film also incorporates unsettling imagery, notably the presence of teeth removed from people. Boyle revealed a personal connection to this element, citing a childhood fear of dentists. He intended this to be a deeply personal scare that transcends logic, contributing to an incomprehensible evil at the heart of the antagonist, rather than delving into their motivations.
Boyle's upbringing in a Mormon community in Utah also played a significant role in shaping his perspective and storytelling. He likens the Book of Mormon to a collection of ghost stories and sees the influence of his religious background in the film's exploration of belief systems and spiritual practices. "For me, the interest in it, because I came onto that show as a hired gun, my personal way into it was not that they have these incredible skills. It's that they have these beliefs and restrictions and obligations and everything," Boyle said, reflecting on how his background informs his work. This perspective also influences his portrayal of ghosts as potentially less frightening than humans, a concept rooted in his spiritual understanding.
Never After Dark is scheduled for release in theaters on September 25.