Epic Pictures' DREAD Label Sets U.S. Release Date for Their Action-Horror Title ISLAND ESCAPE

LOS ANGELES - EntSun -- DREAD, L.A.-based distribution and financing company Epic Pictures' specialty horror label, will be releasing their action-horror title, ISLAND ESCAPE, next month in North America. The film will have a limited theatrical run beginning August 4, 2023, followed by a VOD release on August 8, 2023. Bruce Wemple, known for his award-winning work in the sci-fi and horror genres, wrote and directed Island Escape. Some of Bruce's other credits include off-beat horror and creature features such as First Contact, The Retreat and Dawn of the Beast. Most recently, Bruce wrote and directed the time traveler thriller, The Tomorrow Job. The film was executive produced by Epic Pictures and DREAD CEO Patrick Ewald and Cole Payne owner of genre label Traverse Terror.  Island Escape stars Ariella Mastroianni (My Best Friend's Dead), James Liddell (Two Ways to Go West), Grant Schumacher (The Retreat) and Chris Cimperman (Novel Love).

While Island Escape is at its core a horror film filled with monsters and gore, it combines several other genres such as sci-fi, action, and even romance, for a movie that keeps you guessing every step of the way. The official Island Escape synopsis reads: After a mysterious accident at a research camp on the Isle of Gran Manan, a CEO hires a team of blue-collar mercenaries to extract his daughter, a scientist working at the camp. Upon arrival, the team soon learns that not only is the island surrounded by a wormhole that causes time to reset every three days, but it's also crawling with hideous monsters. As they learn more about the nature of time, space, and the creatures on the island, they quickly realize that death may be the easiest way to escape the island.

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When discussing the release, Epic Picture Group CEO Patrick Ewald says, "We feel fortunate to have worked with Bruce Wemple and his amazing team on Island Escape. The cast and crew really brought their A-game to the making of this picture and we hope audiences will enjoy this action packed, mind twisting story." Epic Pictures Group VP of U.S. Distribution Yulissa Morales goes on to add, "We loved working with Bruce and his team on the release of The Tomorrow Job and jumped at the chance to work together again. We are looking forward to unleashing this new Dread Original on audiences in North America."

"It doesn't take long to look at my filmography and see that my two favorite genres are horror and science fiction. I've always loved watching these movies, and in my professional career I've learned that they're even more fun to make," says writer/director Bruce Wemple.  "With Island Escape, I wanted to make a classic horror action movie in the vein of the classic John Carpenter movies (Escape from New York, LA, Big Trouble Little China) about a team of blue-collar, underqualified mercenaries who get stuck on island fighting monsters... but with a twist. I'd be lying if I said that playing with time and space in movies wasn't something I was obsessed with. This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last. But Island Escape feels different. Not only does the movie have all the monster and sci-fi fun anybody could ask for, but we realized that deep down this was really a non-stop action movie. Guns, fights, helicopters, and speed boat stunts. Not to mention the beautiful scenery the Northeast has to offer. I can't wait for audiences sink their teeth into every Island Escape has to offer."

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ABOUT EPIC PICTURES

Founded in 2007, Epic Pictures, http://www.epic-pictures.com/, is an independent content studio with the mission of delivering the best-in-class genre entertainment "for fans, by fans." Epic Pictures produces, finances, and distributes approximately twenty-thirty independent genre films a year. In 2013, the company established Epic Pictures Releasing which is its US focused distribution division. In 2017, Epic Pictures acquired the world's most popular horror website, Dread Central, and launched its unique horror label, Dread, followed by its AVOD channel, DreadTV. In 2019, Epic Pictures started the horror gaming site, DreadXP, with a focus on editorial, reviews, podcasts, and original streaming content. In 2020, DreadXP began a video game production and publishing division in collaboration with some of the most innovative developers in the independent gaming space.