The One: Melissa Barrera, Nicholas Hoult to star in erotic nightmare horror film

Melissa Barrera of Scream (2022) and Scream VI has signed on to star in the horror film The One alongside Nicholas Hoult of The Menu and Renfield. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The One is described as being an “erotic nightmare”.

Kevin Armento and Jaki Bradley will be directing The One from a screenplay they wrote together, and while this will mark the feature directorial debut of Armento, Bradley previously directed the 2019 thriller Last Ferry and the 2021 “podcast movie” Treat. The story Armento and Bradley have crafted for The One centers on Taylor (Barrera), who makes a last-ditch effort to find love by becoming a contestant on a reality dating show. Now down to just herself and two other women competing to win the heart of Mason (Hoult), Taylor begins to feel the artifice of the show fade, and the game becomes terrifyingly real. Amidst the opulent beachfront setting, fairytale dates and ever-flowing champagne, pursuit turns into obsession and rivalry turns into treachery as reality itself blurs.

The team behind The One says it will deliver “nightmarish horror about the romantic and psychological warfare waged by our beloved popular entertainment — and also begs the question… are we, the viewers, complicit?“

Barrera and Hoult are joined in the cast by Lana Condor of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken.

Hoult is producing the film with Whitaker Lader through their production company Dead Duck Films. Riley Keough is also producing, with Gina Gammell, through Felix Culpa. HanWay Films is handling the worldwide distribution sales, while WME Independent and UTA co-represent the North American rights.

Armento and Bradley had this to say about The One: “We’ve been dreaming up this project for years, and are thrilled to now bring it to life with our actual dream team. Nick, Melissa, Riley, and Lana are some of the most exciting talents around, and their passion for this film — shared by our incredible producers — has us even more eager to make this nightmare a reality.“

Hoult and Lader added: “We were immediately drawn to this project that we think will be equally appealing to reality TV junkies and those who think it is a scourge on humanity. Jaki & Kevin’s script & vision promise a wild and deliciously dark film that will make audiences cringe, laugh, and question their own complicity.“

HanWay Films CEO Gabrielle Stewart said The One is an “original, dynamic and scary exploration of the horror that lies deep inside the intimacy of one of the world’s most popular TV formats.“

The One sounds very interesting to me, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Does this one have your attention? Let us know by leaving a comment below.