Updated with full synopsis! An apocalyptic virus hits Los Angeles in Hot

Last Updated on July 22, 2021

This past summer saw L.A. get hit with apocalyptic hilarity in THIS IS THE END, but now it’s time to get serious again. The apocalypse is no laughing matter, folks.

Production is about to begin on HOT, starring Zachary Knighton (pictured right), Steven Strait, Noah Segan, Kate Siegel and Jessica Dykstra (pictured below; absolutely has to be seen to be believed).

Here is the full synopsis:

HOT is a comic yet ultimately devastating look at an apocalyptic future Los Angeles torn apart by a dangerous virus, most of its victims left unconscious to die slowly. Life-long best friends Jones (Strait) and Benny (Knighton) are holed up in an ostentatious penthouse with Jones spending his days caring for his comatose fiancee (Siegel). Their only connection to what remains of the outside world is a militia member named Horn (Segan) tasked with patrolling the city for newly infected citizens. Benny grows increasingly jealous of Jones, and strikes a deal with Horn to procure Benny his own girlfriend…albeit, in a coma. With brutal language and imagery, alternately funny and horrifying, Keleher’s play tears back the curtain of social niceties to reveal the animal instinct of men.

Victor Warren will make his directorial debut from his own adaptation of Daniel Keleher’s play. Dallas Sonnier and Jack Heller are producing alongside Warren, John Schoweiler and David A. Gluck. Ted Weyn and Michael Reidenbach are exec producing.

As a bonus, here is an amusing story regarding one of the lead actresses, Jessica Dykstra, as relayed to us by the producers:

The producers knew one of the hardest aspects of pre-production for HOT was the casting of “Candi.” They were excited to discover a new talent of striking beauty. As the female “love interest” to Zach Knighton’s “Benny”, “Candi” is a challenging role with over an hour of screen time, but with no dialogue, and she’s in a COMA! And the role requires full frontal nudity! And she’s supposed to be one of the most beautiful girls in the world. The producers and director met with many actresses. Just two days before shooting started, Jack Heller reached out to our friends at IMG, which in turn connected us to a very successful international talent scout Marlon, who in turn had the perfect idea of “Candi.” Marlon suggested a young model named Jessica Dykstra who has been on the cover of GQ Italia and was featured in Sports Illustrated India’s swimsuit edition. That evening, coming straight from a day-long modeling gig, Dykstra met the filmmakers for coffee. They offered her the role right then and there, and she accepted. She hadn’t even finished the script yet, a fact that would prove hilarious at the next day’s table read where Dykstra was shocked to learn that at one point her character “Candi” has a live cockroach in her mouth!

Jessica Dykstra