The Rule of Jenny Pen (2025)

Starring Academy Award nominee John Lithgow, Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush and George Henrare

Shudder and Vertigo Releasing are thrilled to confirm the release of the twisted thriller The Rule of Jenny Pen. The film will be in UK and Ireland cinemas from 14 March.

LOGLINE

A misanthropic Judge confined to an aged care home finds himself set in deadly conflict with its resident tyrant.

The Rule of Jenny Pen

Arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush) suffers a near-fatal stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home. Resistant to the staff and distant from his friendly roommate, Mortensen soon clashes with seemingly gentle resident Dave Crealy (Lithgow) who secretly terrorizes the home with a sadistic game called “The Rule of Jenny Pen” while wielding his dementia doll as an instrument of cruelty. What begins as childish torment quickly escalates into far more sinister and disturbing incidents. When Mortensen’s pleas to the staff go unanswered, he takes it upon himself to put an end to Crealy’s reign of terror.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

The Rule of Jenny Pen is a psychological thriller based on author Owen Marshall’s short story of the same name. Marshall’s story explores power dynamics and his characters are always very well observed and crafted. That appeals to myself and Eli Kent (co-writer). As a father of three, I’m ever aware of the prospect of bullying in my children’s lives. But I’d never considered it something that my aging parents could face in the twilight stage of their lives. The concept of this taking place in a rest home environment, a place with a great deal of vulnerability, was an incredibly compelling notion for a film.

The Rule of Jenny Pen follows a high profile judge who is put into rest home care following a debilitating stroke. While there, he discovers a fellow resident is feigning dementia symptoms – and covertly menacing other residents. What starts off as childish torments soon escalates into much more serious, disturbing incidents, then deaths. But that’s to be expected in rest home care, it’s the last stop in many people’s lives. The film is about tyranny in a place you least expect it.

Tyrants grow quickly, like weeds when given the right conditions to thrive, and their actions often occur in private, behind closed doors, tucked away in the corners away from prying eyes. They are insidious in their intent – whether in the school yard, in corporate structures, governments, or in this case, a rest home.

I think the worst villains – both fictional and factual – are usually the most craven, only capable of feeling powerful when keeping others down. Often they possess little to no imagination. A coward with a dull mind can be a dangerous thing. But, it’s also a film about the choices we make in the face of oppression – whether to stand up to it or lay down before it, and how these choices are often less black and white than we would like to believe.

It was an incredible, once in a lifetime gift to have this extraordinary cast bring these characters to life. People often say ‘be wary of meeting your heroes’ but in this instance it couldn’t have been further from that. The level of craft, artistry, generosity and bravery John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush brought to the collaboration and their characters was inspiring to everyone involved. It was a truly joyful experience watching these two titans of stage and screen have at it; they’ve spoiled working with actors for me – or at least set the bar incredibly high.

I don’t shy from what others call ‘dark material’. I think it’s important to work with challenging material in the arts because it allows us to unpack some of those more tricky conversations that can be hard to have via other avenues. There’s a lot of nuance and duality to be found in material like The Rule of Jenny Pen. I believe there is real healing to be found in the dark – if we never look there, how can we move forward into a future with greater empathy and hope?

I don’t think dark stories equate to bleak, heavy, morose stories that lack in entertainment. On the contrary, there’s a real energy and effervescent quality to this film that comes from unpacking the themes, the environment, and both the oppressor and the oppressed who fight back. There’s genuine humour, delight and humanity to be found in the darkest corners of this story.

James Ashcroft Director/Co-Writer/Executive Producer ABOUT THE FILM

In 2021, Director James Ashcroft released his debut feature film ComingHomeintheDark, based on a

short story written by award-winning New Zealand author Owen Marshall (CNZM). It’s a dark tale that explores how a random act of violence can alter someone’s life forever. The film went on to premiere at Sundance and the NZ International Film Festival, has sold worldwide and been picked up by Netflix.

Five years on, another Marshall short story is the inspiration behind Ashcroft’s new feature film The Rule of Jenny Pen Ashcroft optioned the work more than ten years ago after it was recommended to him by an author friend, Hamish Clayton. An “undiscovered gem”, the story was unlike anything Aschroft had read before: “Owen Marshall’s characters are incredibly potent, well observed and crafted. I was immediately struck by the banal terror The Rule of Jenny Pen conjured up, and the originality and treatment of its setting and characters.”

Ashcroft and his writing partner Eli Kent were drawn to the story’s characters first and foremost, but note the themes, plotting and tone are equally important to them. Ashcroft explains: “Whatever the material, it begins and ends with the duality and complexity of the characters.”

The Rule of Jenny Pen is set within the confines of an aged care facility, a location that writing collaborators Ashcroft and Eli Kent were drawn to.

“As a father of three, I’m very aware of bullying in schools. But the concept of bullying in a space that society considers to be safe and quiet, really piqued our interest,” says Ashcroft.

Tyranny is a key theme in The Rule of Jenny Pen, notes Ashcroft: “Tyranny can be insidious. The worst villains are often the most cowardly ones, with a lack of imagination. And those two things can be a deadly combination when given the right amount of rope to run with.”

ABOUT VERTIGO RELEASING

Vertigo Releasing is committed to discovering and championing the most important part of film: the talent. Our releases have grossed over $100 million at the box office. Recent releases include Thailand’s record-setting, Academy Award-shortlisted heartwarmer HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES; Alice Lowe’s anti-rom-com TIMESTALKER starring Alice (PREVENGE), Nick Frost (HOT FUZZ), and Jacob Anderson (GAME OF THRONES); Luna Carmoon’s HOARD, which was recently nominated for 6 BIFAs; and electrifying horror thriller LATE NIGHT WITH DEVIL, which made a ‘killing’ at the UK & US box office, with press calling it ‘this generation’s EXORCIST’

. Upcoming releases include family adventure THE SLOTH LANE, starring comedian Leslie Jones; SANTOSH, the political thriller meets crime procedural, which won 2 BIFAs and is longlisted for the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards; Lorcan Finnegan’s latest hit THE SURFER, which premiered this year in Cannes and the BFI London Film Festival, and stars Nicolas Cage in the titular role; and LAST SWIM, starring newcomer Deba Hekmat as a British-Iranian teen exploring London with her closest friends while secretly grappling with a life-changing decision.

ABOUT IFC FILMS

IFC Films is a leading U.S. distributor of independent cinema that is operated by AMC Networks Inc. The company has been at the forefront of championing boundary-pushing, thought-provoking films for 25 years, with a commitment to delivering high-quality, filmmaker-driven cinema across all genres. IFC Films’ slate reaches a national audience through theatrical releases, cable Video On Demand (VOD), and digital platforms. Some of the company’s successes over the years include Andrew Haigh’s 45 YEARS, Jennifer Kent’s

THE BABADOOK, Matthew Johnson’s BLACKBERRY, Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD, Armando Iannucci’s THE DEATH OF STALIN, Noah Baumbach’s FRANCES HA, David France’s HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE, Chris Nash’s IN A VIOLENT NATURE, Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, Stephen Frears’ THE LOST KING, Adam Elliot’s MEMOIR OF A SNAIL, Olivier Assayas’ PERSONAL SHOPPER, Tran Anh Hung’s THE TASTE OF THINGS, Michael Winterbottom’s THE TRIP, and Chloe Okuno’s WATCHER.

ABOUT SHUDDER

AMC Networks’ Shudder stands as the leading curatorial voice and cultural destination for genre entertainment, delivering an unparalleled selection of horror, thrillers, and the supernatural.

With an ever-expanding library of films, TV series, and exclusive Originals, Shudder is accessible across most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Shudder releases approximately thirty films per year, and has redefined genre streaming with a slate of groundbreaking and critically acclaimed titles, including Rob Savage’s HOST, Jayro Bustamante’s Golden Globe-nominated LA LLORONA, Phil Tippett’s MAD GOD, Coralie Fargeat’s REVENGE, Kyle Edward Ball’s SKINAMARINK, Christian Tafdrup’s SPEAK NO EVIL, Chloe Okuno’s WATCHER, Demián Rugna’s WHEN EVIL LURKS.

And the latest installments in the V/H/S franchise. Shudder also boasts fan-favorite series such as the two-time Emmy Award-nominated THE BOULET BROTHERS’ DRAGULA, Mark Duplass’ THE CREEP TAPES, Greg Nicotero’s CREEPSHOW, and THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS. Notable recent releases include Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s THE DEVIL’S BATH, Chris Nash’s IN A VIOLENT NATURE, Sébastien Vaniček’s INFESTED, Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, Damian McCarthy’s ODDITY, and Robert Morgan’s STOPMOTION.

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So grab your favorite horror-themed snacks, settle into a cozy spot, and immerse yourself in the chilling world of horror literature and film. Head over to The Ginger Nuts of Horror and embark on a journey through the eerie and the extraordinary—it’s an adventure you won’t soon forget!