WATCH: Spooky trailer for Mikhail Red and Nadine Lustre's 'Nokturno' is here
Halloween has come early as the spooky trailer for Nadine Lustre's upcoming sci-fi horror film Nokturno has been released.
Directed by Mikhail Red, the suspense thriller marks the filmmaker and superstar's reunion following their hit techno-horror movie Deleter which won eight awards at the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress.
In Nokturno, Nadine plays an overseas Filipina worker named Jamie, who returns to her isolated hometown as her family is being haunted by a "primal and supernatural curse" involving creatures called "Kumakatok."
These mysterious figures are based on Filipino folklore and are depicted to have a frightening appearance, with their tall and thin physique, long pale fingers, and faces covered with a veil. They come knocking into the houses of those who are cursed to die or lose a loved one in three days.
To keep herself and the rest of their family alive, Jamie must call on her estranged mother Lilet (Eula Valdez), and face their troubled past.
In the hair-raising trailer released on Sept. 29, Nadine is seen talking to a young boy who says that he knows what actually happened to their "Ate Jo" who recently passed away. The conversation is intercut with scenes showing the actress entering a dark abandoned place, as well as the appearances of supernatural beings, including a bloodied white lady and a Kumakatok.
In a recent interview with Variety, Mikhail said that although his previous film Deleter and his new project Nokturno both explore the horror genre, they present two "very different" stories.
He explained, "With ‘Nokturno’ I wanted to delve into Filipino folklore and reintroduce an ancient monster to a newer generation with a modern lens."
“We follow the character of Jamie who is progressive and a skeptic and has lived her life away from rural society. And now she must return home and come face to face with the traditional, conservative family she left behind." he continued.
"She begins to realize they hold a dark secret. Primal powers threaten to upend all her beliefs and her family’s dark past will catch up to her as she confronts the mysterious entity called the Kumakatok. This is a story about the inescapable and the inevitable—family and death itself.”
Joining Nadine as cast members are fellow stars Bea Binene, Wilbert Ross, J.J. Quilantang, and Ku Aquino. The film is produced by Viva Films and Evolve Studios, Mikhail's recently launched production company.
The film is expected to premiere either later this year or in early 2024.