Frightening firsts: Upcoming indie horror film Dusk offers new ground for cast and crew
- Jack Walters
- 10 hours ago
- 5 min read
While creators across all mediums frequently expand through new genres, horror is often a unique avenue of exploration and frequently serves as a vector for new infections of ideas and projects. Countless creators have dipped their toes into the murky depths, even if their career began in sunnier fields. As an example, one specimen in the spooky smorgasbord of sinister stars is Sean Bean, who had major roles in the Silent Hill films which had a new entry just this year. For some it’s only a brief foray into the fearful, while for others, such as Mia Jovovich and her work in the Resident Evil series, continue to embrace horror. Horror allows actors to stretch their creative legs and often to show multiple different sides, from vulnerable survivors to obnoxious teenagers and, of course, haunting horrors. Often an actor or actress’ first foray into horror can be a fascinating look into their skills and range, and the upcoming film Dusk is poised to prove it with its three main leads, as well as an intriguing debut for a North Texas studio.
Moving towards a VOD release sometime this spring, Dusk is an upcoming psychological horror film with a number of firsts. Directed by Kyle Hodgkinson, Dusk is the first full-length film of Dallas-based production company Foggy Notions Unlimited, and its cast and crew are largely drawn from the North Texas area. Among this cast are several first-rate talents who add to Dusk’s growing collection of firsts. Leading the billing for the film are three veteran voice actors: table-top gaming darling Laura Bailey, video game virtuoso Bruce DuBose, and anime ace Todd Haberkorn, all three of whom may be familiar to horror fans.
Dusk has a plot likely familiar to horror fans, but hopefully with a fresher take which will give its cast room to explore showcase their skills. Dusk tells the story of Chelsea, played by Bailey, a young college student afflicted with terrible visions of past lives which begin to isolate her from friends and family. As these visions grow more intense, Chelsea is hunted by a sinister force which has pursued her through the mists of time to murder her. Joining Chelsea in her descent into darkness is Niko, played by DuBose. This mysterious figure suffers from sinister visions as Chelsea and is pursued by the same deadly being brought to life (or perhaps un-life) through the character of Wayne, played by Haberkorn. Based on its plot, Dusk seems poised to be a deliciously cheesy horror film, but with such interesting talent, it could very well push into B-movie legend.
Laura Bailey could easily be counted one of the most well-known and well-loved voice actresses, and another of Dusk’s firsts is that the film is Bailey’s first live-action leading role. However, it is certainly not Bailey’s first foray into horror. She’s as equally famous for her work as Abby in the survival-horror hit The Last of Us: Part 2 as she is her work as the voice actress of Rayne in the cult classic Blood Rayne games which spawned the titular movies (which interestingly enough, Bailey didn’t enjoy.) She’s also had several lead roles in the Resident Evil franchise. Bailey has an incredibly diverse range, as evidenced in both her characters on the live-play Table-Top-Role-Playing Game show Critical Role and her diverse appearances in both video games and animated features. Fans will be excited to see how Bailey brings her talent to bear as a (hopeful) survivor of a sinister secret.
Bruce DuBose’s diverse range of titles include voice actor, TV actor, and playwright, and his roles run the gamut of genres. Most famous for the role of Marcus in the Borderlands series, DuBose is another veteran of the Bloodrayne series of video games and has several horror pieces to his credit, from horror anime hits like Attack of Titan and Zombieland Saga to psychological thrillers such as the 2011 mythologically inspired I am Gilgamesh. His character seems like an interesting counterpoint to Bailey’s Chelsea. While the young college student seems in over her head, Niko seems hardened yet still perhaps equally unhinged, and it’ll be interesting to see how these two play off each other, especially as both characters seem to lead in well to the film’s intended themes of rebirth and trauma.
Rounding out the cast, Todd Haberkorn plays Wayne, seemingly the antagonistic force pursuing Chelsea and Niko. Haberkorn’s own wide and varied history of voice work suggests he could bring some interesting things to the table. Horror fans may recall his voice in several of their favorite scream-fests, such as Silent Hill F, Resident Evil 3 Remake, and Days Gone. As such, it will be exciting to see how Haberkorn stretches to explore this new role. While details are scarcer about Wayne, the film’s synopsis casts a dark shadow on the character, and there’s a lot of potential for fans to sink their fangs into. (Although if they are like this author, who lists Sgt. Frog and Snow White with the Red Hair as two of his favorite anime, hearing Haberkorn’s familiar voice in a more sinister way will be doubly intriguing.)
Besides the cast, Dusk is also a first for Foggy Notions, Unlimited, as it is the company’s debut feature. With both director Kyle Hodgkinson and script-writer Scott Noack as founders, Foggy Notions places its Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) pride front and center. Interestingly, while there have been horror films shot in Texas (a certain series of chainsaw massacres comes to mind) none have been shot in the DFW, meaning Foggy Notions may be breaking new ground. The EPK of the film describes it as an expansion of the classic vampire story which creates a “modern horror narrative where survival becomes an act of rebellion,” so Dusk certainly seems like a passion project for all involved, which can be the signs of a landmark indie horror film.
Indie horror movies have been a fertile spawning pit for all manner of horrors, and with a strong cast and passionate crew, Dusk is poised as a lurker at the threshold, perched at the edge of either B movie goodness or, perhaps, something even better, like other indie horror releases in 2026. Horror fans eagerly awaiting their chance to see Dusk likely won’t be waiting long. After a limited theater release on March 7th, the film will be released for VOD sometime in late spring, and there are two spin-off projects: an anthology and a graphic novel.