‘Tick Fever’: This New Body Horror Movie Will Get Under Your Skin – Literally

Variety has shared the first images from Tick Fever, an upcoming Finnish body horror movie from director Sebastian Granskog, and has spoken with the filmmakers about their bloodsucking nightmare.

Elias Salonen (Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo) and Anna Böhm (Valhalla Project) play Victor and Stella, a codependent couple who can’t make their relationship work but can’t bring themselves to end it.

Their anxiety takes physical form when a tick attaches itself to Victor. His attempts to remove it send him spiraling, pulling him further from Stella as their already troubled relationship deteriorates.

Presented at the Finnish Film Affair, Tick Fever is produced by Mia Palmgren and Laura Laaksonen for Character House and is being developed as a U.K.–Nordic co-production.

And Granskog hopes to bring its creepy crawlies to life with practical effects.

“As a horror fan, gore has me giggling in my seat when I’m watching a movie. I would love to make this film with practical effects. I hope we can accomplish that, at least mostly,” he told Variety.

Palmgren added, “Sebastian has made it pretty clear that he wants the tick to be made with practical effects. I don’t look forward to seeing giant ticks come to life on set. Or maybe a little bit.”