Sartaj Singh
Colby Minifie and Reign Edwards will bring their comedic talents to Marissa Ruben’s feature directorial debut! The Cinemaholic can reveal that the actresses have stepped on board the quirky dark comedy ‘Death Death.’ The project is gearing up to begin filming on September 4, 2024, in Hudson Valley, New York. Ruben wrote the movie based on her concept short film of the same name.
The plot follows estranged half-sisters Frannie (Minifie) and Marcus (Edwards), who discover that their difficult mother has passed away. The two decide to go on a road trip together to create one special, good memory of themselves with their dead mother, which they never had with her in life. The 2023 concept short film sees the sisters reenact the plot of a 1980s cult classic as their mother’s dying wish.
“The riotous laughter that inexplicably accompanies times of grief is what ‘Death Death’ is about,” said Ruben in a statement. “In this dark comedy, we watch two women rediscover what it means to really live. Stylistically, this concept short is both a love letter and hate mail to 80s American Cinema. We love the comedic developments, but there’s too much penis everywhere,” she added.
Minifie is quite familiar with dark comedy, given her portrayal of the bossy yet vulnerable Ashley Barrett in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys.’ Prior to her breakout role in the show, she also starred in ‘Homebody’ as Melanie, AMC’s ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ as Virginia, and Netflix’s ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ as Yvonne. She is expected to return as Ashley Barrett in the fifth and final season of ‘The Boys.’
Edwards is a singer and actress known for her performance as Rachel Reid in Prime Video’s ‘The Wilds,’ Melody Wright in FX’s ‘Snowfall,’ Leanna Martin in ‘MacGyver,’ and Brooke in ‘Hell Fest.’ Her recent works include the Netflix comedy ‘Old Dads,’ Apple TV+’s mystery series ‘Truth Be Told,’ and ‘Love You Anyway.’
Ruben co-directed the source concept short with Avery Looser. The filmmaker also previously helmed and acted in the short film ‘Don’t Say Vagina!’ She took on the role of The Person in ‘True Dark’ and will appear in Sam Pezzullo’s ‘The Premiere’ as Natalia. The script for ‘Death Death’ was a semifinalist in the 2022 Scriptation Showcase competition and the comedy feature quarterfinalist in the 2022 Nashville Film Festival.
Hudson Valley, New York, the principal location of the movie, will replace Grayling, Michigan, where the short film was filmed. Known for its stunning natural landscapes, the region will provide the perfect backdrops for the road trip drama with a mix of scenic routes, quaint towns, and historical landmarks. The area boasts the Shawangunk Mountains, the Hudson River, and numerous state parks. Other films shot in and around the region include ‘The Hating Game,’ ‘Things Heard & Seen,’ ‘Swallow,’ ‘Twelve.’
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