Hailed by critics as "one of the best horror movies of the year," we finally have our first trailer for IFC Films' Good Boy, and it's everything we wanted it to be, and more. Directed by Ben Leonberg in his feature debut, the movie boasts the unique premise of being a haunted house story told from the perspective of man's best friend, which is already enough of a hook to pique our interest. However, after watching the trailer (below), we've now become even more invested in seeing how this one plays out.
Starring Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, and Larry Fessenden, the Good Boy trailer opens with some home video footage of a young Indy, the four-legged star of the show. We watch as he grows into a beautiful retriever, loyal to his master. Things quickly take a dark turn, however, as they're not the only inhabitants of the old farmhouse they now live in. A supernatural presence noticed only by Indy begins to disturb the peace and quiet of the countryside, and while the trailer doesn't give too much away, there's enough disturbing imagery to whet the appetites of horror fans who are looking for something original. Check out the full synopsis for Good Boy below:
"Following the death of a family member, Todd (Jensen) relocates with his dog Indy to an old rural farmhouse once owned by his grandfather (Fessenden). Although the house is rumored to be haunted, Todd ignores the warnings. However, Indy begins to see disturbing supernatural presences throughout the home -- entities invisible to humans but all too real to him.
"Unable to communicate his fears to Todd, Indy must confront and understand the malevolent forces threatening his owner. As the supernatural activity escalates, the dog's loyalty is put to the ultimate test in a desperate attempt to protect his human companion."
'Good Boy' Is Being Called A "Visually Captivating Horror Film"
As if the trailer wasn't enough to get you psyched about Good Boy, the film has already been receiving overwhelming praise ahead of its wide release later this year. Premiering at the SXSW Film Festival back in March, critic Michael Ward noted that the movie features "one of the greatest animal actor performances of all time," while Jonathan DeHaan wrote:
"Independent moviemaking magic! An ingenious angle for an overworked subgenre, and one that delivers in spades thanks to its adorable lead, and brilliant direction and editing that really sets the story directly in a dog's world."
Also called "visually captivating" by Amanda Sink from The Hollywood Outsider, Mary Beth McAndrews from Dread Central added that "Good Boy is primed to be one of the most chilling movies of 2025." Critic Kristy Strouse was another who had nothing but praise for the new horror movie, writing:
"Good Boy is a haunting, unconventional horror, featuring one of the best performances I have seen this year (by a dog no less) and shows Ben Leonberg has captured lightning in a bottle."
You can look for Good Boy to hit theaters on October 3 courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder, and watch for it to make its streaming debut on the horror platform at a later date.
Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed Good Boy Drama Horror Release Date March 8, 2025 Runtime 73 minutes Director Ben Leonberg Writers Ben Leonberg, Alex Cannon Cast See All Stuart Rudin Todd Shane Jensen Vera Larry Fessenden Grandpa Arielle Friedman Richard
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