Dark Harvest: Release Date, Cast, And More

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Look out for Sawtooth Jack, because "Dark Harvest" will soon be coming to a theater near you. It was first reported way back in 2007 that the horror novel would be adapted by New Regency, but after being placed in turnaround, the project has since moved to MGM. Written by Norman Partridge, the Bram Stoker Award-winning book was released in 2006 and Publisher's Weekly named it one of the "100 Best Novels" of that year. So, what do we know thus far about the movie adaptation of "Dark Harvest?"

"Dark Harvest" was initially set to release this fall, but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release date has since been pushed back to September 9, 2022. A date sometime in October might have made more sense for the Halloween-set tale, but I'm sure MGM has its reasons. If you're wondering how to watch "Dark Harvest" from the comfort of your own home, the answer might be a little complicated. Variety reported that Amazon bought MGM fairly recently, so it seems a safe bet that "Dark Harvest" will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. However, much of the studio's back catalog is still streaming on other services and, according to Cnet, MGM also has a deal in place with ViacomCBS' Paramount+ that grants them access to new releases following the theatrical window. So, we'll have to see how all that shakes out next year.

"Dark Harvest" takes place in a dead-end Midwestern town, where groups of teens attempt to take down a terrifying killer every Halloween. He goes by many names: Sawtooth Jack, October Boy, even Ol' Hacksaw Face. Regardless of what they call him, everyone knows he will rise from the cornfields armed with a butcher knife and despite the risk, they're willing to take their shot in "an annual rite of life and death" known as the Run. 

The film follows Richie Shepard, a guy desperate enough to face this monster in the hopes of repeating the success of his older brother, who won the year prior and escaped small town life. He will team up with Kelly Haines, who also dreams of life beyond the tiny town she's grown up in. Few plot details have been revealed, so there's no way to know how much the "Dark Harvest" movie will deviate from the source material. One thing that is different is the protagonist's name (it was Pete McCormick in the book.) It's also unclear if the movie will take place in 1963, like the novel does, or if a more modern setting will be chosen.

Deadline reported that the main characters of "Dark Harvest," Richie Shepard and Kelly Haines, will be played by Casey Likes and E'myri Crutchfield, respectively. Likes is best known for originating the role of William Miller in the stage production of "Almost Famous." He will also portray Kiss icon Gene Simmons in the upcoming biopic, "Spinning Gold." Crutchfield joined the cast of "Fargo" in its fourth season and has also appeared in other shows, including "True Detective." Most recently, she can be seen in Amazon Prime's "Tell Me Your Secrets."

THR broke the news that "Dark Harvest" had added Jeremy Davies, Luke Kirby, and Elizabeth Reaser to the cast. Davies is an Emmy Award-winning actor whom "Lost" fans will remember as Daniel Faraday. He boasts an extensive resume in both film and television, having shown up in everything from "Saving Private Ryan" to "Hannibal" to "Arrow." Next up, he will appear in Scott Derrickson's horror movie "The Black Phone." "Twilight" fans will recognize Reaser, who has also been featured in shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Haunting of Hill House." She played former White House volunteer Kathleen Willey in Ryan Murphy's "Impeachment: American Crime Story," which recently aired its finale. Kirby has appeared in "The Good Fight" and the recent "Gossip Girl" reboot, among other series. He won an Emmy for his excellent portrayal of Lenny Bruce in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

David Slade will direct "Dark Harvest" and has been set to helm the film since it was announced in 2007. Slade has experience with horror, having directed the vampire movie "30 Days of Night." He also helmed the third "Twilight" film, "Eclipse," as well as the Emmy Award-winning "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch." Slade has directed a lot of television as well, including episodes of "Hannibal" and "American Gods." Michael Gilio, who penned the script for "Dark Harvest," will executive produce alongside Pamela Hirsch. The film will be produced by Matt Tolmach and David Manpearl via Matt Tolmach Productions.

Look out for this spooky Halloween tale next year!