A new horror movie shot in Central New York has a new trailer and a release date.
“The Hermit,” starring Lou Ferrigno in his first creature role since TV’s “The Incredible Hulk,” will be available to rent and purchase on digital platforms March 3, Uncork’d Entertainment announced. A Los Angeles premiere will also take place March 2, according to Bloody Disgusting.
Ferrigno stars as a murderous, cannibalistic pig farmer who cooks people and makes them into jerky. The “dark horror tale with a quirky edge” also features Malina Weissman (“A Series of Unfortunate Events”) and Anthony Turpel (“That ‘90s Show”) as teenagers dragged on a vacation to the woods when they must fight for their lives against Ferrigno’s hermit character.
“I’ve always been a big fan of scary movies and I hope this one will be on everyone’s list to watch!” Ferrigno said in a statement.
See the trailer:
“The Hermit” was partly filmed in the Syracuse area until production paused in August 2022 because of several issues, including an actor’s injury and crew members walking off the set over a pay dispute. $24,000 worth of grip and electrical equipment was also stolen from the set, according to a Syracuse police report filed that November.
Ferrigno, a champion bodybuilder and actor who’s appeared in more than 75 movies and TV shows, was named an honorary Syracuse police officer while in town. A farm in South Onondaga was used for scenes with his character’s home.
Weissman, best known for playing Violet Baudelaire in “A Series of Unfortunate Events” and a young Kara Zor-El on “Supergirl,” was injured on the set in Syracuse when she got glue in her eye. Producer Gerry Pass said a microscopic knife was needed and she lost her eyelashes, preventing her from filming scenes for five days in August 2022.
“The Hermit” was also delayed by heavy rains and when David Wolfgang, the director of photography, had to go to the hospital to have a gallbladder removed. But money issues were the largest obstacle as the film crew went on strike during the third week of production when investors’ payments fell behind for some labor, equipment and construction costs.
This image provided by Uncork’d Entertainment shows the movie poster for “The Hermit,” partly filmed in Syracuse with Lou Ferrigno and Malina Weissman.Provided
Pass told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard in 2023 that they would complete the movie in California after securing new funding. According to IMDb, scenes were shot in Thousand Oaks, near Los Angeles, though it’s unclear when.
Pass previously worked as an executive producer on “Manodrome,” shot in Syracuse between November 2021 and January 2022 with Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody. “Manodrome” is currently streaming on Netflix.
A list of digital platforms where “The Hermit” will be available was not immediately released.