Paul Giamatti and Simon Pegg to Star in Murderous Seaside Town Pic, ‘Boutique’

If horror has taught me anything, it’s that you have to assume something weird is going on in every small seaside town.

Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) and Paul Giamatti (John Dies at the End) are set to star in the seaside horror pic Boutique, Dread Central learned ahead of AFM.

The film “follows an American tourist (Giamatti) who travels to the eerie English seaside town that inspired the work of his favorite reclusive author (Pegg), only to become entangled with a murderous secret society permeating the whole town.”

Boutique marks Jim Gavin‘s feature directorial debut.

Producers are Giamatti and Dan Carey through their company Touchy Feely Films, alongside Chris Dodds, Charlie Alderman, and Greg Field for Prospect, plus James Harris and Mark Lane of Tea Shop Productions. Jacob Jaffke (Maxxxine) will serve as an executive producer.

Said Prospect in a statement to the outlet, “Boutique is dark, hysterical, and utterly twisted. We are honored to help realize Jim Gavin’s gothic fever dream“.

With that cast, it had better be.

Both Pegg and Giamatti are superb actors with a penchant for weird comedy. Of course, most horror fans know Pegg from Edgar Wright’s trio of horror/sci-fi films, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End.

Giamatti, meanwhile, has appeared in several well-regarded titles, from American Splendor to Sideways and the recent The Holdovers. You try not crying during the latter (I know I did). While he hasn’t appeared in many genre titles, his role in a film like Don Coscarelli’s John Dies at the End gives a good taste of why he’s an excellent choice for what sounds like a zany horror comedy in Boutique.

Manifest Pictures will handle international sales rights at the upcoming AFM.