Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are one of the most favorite horror and fantasy comedy movie duos in Europe and the world. Together with Edgar Wright they built what they baptized as “The Cornetto Trilogy”, consisting of a gory zombie flick, a cops action thriller and a science fiction extravaganza, all showered with fresh sense of comedy, Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013). In between they had enough time to get under the orders of Greg Mottola, director of Adventureland (2009) and Superbad (2007), to star in the amazing pseudo autobiographic science-fiction comedy Paul (2011), in a screenplay that Pegg and Frost also penned.
Since then the duo hasn’t seen together in the movies for a while, although they have been kept busy. Perhaps the most successful one of the pair could be Simon Pegg, who has managed to form part of the main cast of Hollywood franchises Star Trek and Mission: Impossible, while Nick Frost has appeared in Attack the Block (2011), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and its sequel The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016). Until last year, when we had the chance to see them back together in the forgettable Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018), having merely supporting roles but bringing that charisma and magic only them two can share.
It might not have been the most chanted audience claim, but everybody wanted to see Simon Pegg and Nick Frost again on the big screen and in main roles. And probably they also shared that same desire, because Deadline reported last week that Orion Pictures has greenlit Svalta, a horror flick that Nick Frost has written and that him, together with Simon Pegg and Miles Ketley will produce. The story follows a family on their summer vacation to a remote Swedish island where they discover a serial killer is on the loose, but the locals have no interest in helping the stranded family of tourists. The title is taken from the name of the fictional island.
In the words of Orion Pictures president John Hegeman, Svalta, being merely an upcoming project, already reflects the singular sensibilities of Pegg and Frost. “We are unbelievably excited to be partnering with Simon, Nick and Miles on Svalta”, he said. “The story is scary, awesome and crazy, and their unique voice is perfect for this movie. We can’t wait to bring this to the big screen with them”. Miles Ketley, a former Fox Searchlight executive, stated: “Orion is the perfect home for the horrifying vision that Nick has conjured up from his maverick brain”.
Orion Pictures has always had a good eye for movies that would mark a milestone in the history of horror and science-fiction. Under the label has bloomed titles like The Return of the Living Dead (1985), F/X (1986), RoboCop (1987), Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), First Blood (1982), The Terminator (1984), The Arrival (1996), The Belko Experiment (2016) or the upcoming Child’s Play (2019). No doubt that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have found a good home for their already exciting return with a new horror project in the 20th anniversary of their collaborations in the entertainment industry. I can’t wait to get more news about it! We better remember the name: Svalta.
