The seminal horror authorStephen Kinghas become a go-to source for many when it comes to upcoming movies to get excited about.And the writer behind the likes ofThe ShiningandIthas now hyped-up a movie in thehorrorgenre, taking tosocial mediato urge audiences to watchThe Rule of Jenny Pen (2024)when it lands on the streaming platform Shudder in 2025. King even calls the thriller “one of the best movies” he’s seen this year, with this tale of a judge who, after being confined to a retirement home following a stroke, must stop an elderly psychopath who uses a child’s puppet to terrorize the other residents. See what King had to say aboutThe Rule of Jenny Penbelow.
“I watched one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. It’s called THE RULE OF JENNY PEN, and I urge you to watch it when it appears on Shudder. Geoffrey Rush stars, with John Lithgow as a geriatric psychopath with an evil hand puppet.”
Not only doesThe Rule of Jenny Pensound like a unique approach to the world of horror, as well as soundingundeniably Stephen King-coded, it also boasts a stellar duo as its leads. Directed by James Ashcroft and co-written by Eli Kent and Ashcroft,the movie starsGeoffrey Rush(Pirates of the Caribbean, Quills) as former Judge Stefan Mortensenand John Lithgow(Dexter, Pet Sematary)as psychopathic resident Dave Crealy. You can check out the official synopsis for the horror outing below.
“Stefan Mortensen, a misanthropic judge nearing the end of his career, suffers a stroke in the middle of a courtroom, forcing him into a nursing home. There, he encounters Dave Crealy, a long-time resident who terrorizes the other occupants using his doll, Jenny Pen, as the executor of his tyranny and a tool of torture. A showdown follows between the two men, escalating into violence and horror that will either lead to victory, or death.”
The Rule of Jenny Pen Has Received Praise From Critics
The Rule of Jenny Pen has now debuted at this month’sFantastic Fest, with critics who were in attendance joining Stephen King and praising the horror movie. Alison Foreman ofindieWirewrites:
“What begins as an atypical use of two beloved actors gets more messy than complex in The Rule of Jenny Pen. And yet, the undaunted director, Ashcroft, approaches his vision with palpable conviction.”
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The Master of Horror has never exactly been shy about sharing his feelings about movies, for better or worse.
Meanwhile, Rocco T. Thompson ofDaily Deadsays, “The rare horror thriller that treats aging with all the dignity it deserves without ignoring the abject, all too relatable terror of losing yourself to the relentless march of time,” with Molly Henery ofThe Blogging Bansheeadding, “The Rule of Jenny Penputs two all-star actors at odds as it forces audiences to confront the horrors of aging, making it difficult to know if one should laugh or gasp.”
