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Latest Zach Spicer movie getting wide release July 31
Greencastle native Zachary Spicer is poised to have the biggest movie premiere of his film-making career this month.
“Our latest film at Pigasus Pictures is making its national theatrical debut with Lionsgate on July 31,” Spicer, founder and CEO of Pigasus, announced.
A world premiere event with the whole cast and crew is set for Sunday, July 28 at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis.
Starring Dylan Sprouse (“Suite Life of Zach & Cody” and “Beautiful Disaster”), Callan McAuliffe (“The Walking Dead”) and Patrick Warburton (Puddy in “Seinfeld”), “The Duel” follows Woody (McAuliffe), who upon discovering that his best friend, Colin (Sprouse), has been having an affair with his girlfriend, decides that no modern form of revenge could possibly satisfy him. Instead, Woody challenges his closest companion to a classic contest of honor — a gentleman’s duel to the death.
Described by Spicer as “a thought-provoking, rip-roaring dark comedy,” it was written and directed by Justin Matthews and Luke Spencer Roberts.
“This is the biggest release we’ve ever had for a film,” Spicer said with screenings in more than 500 theaters nationwide starting July 31. “We work long and hard hours to make these independent films come to life — and we made this one in the middle of the pandemic, under unprecedentedly challenging circumstances.
“To see it released nationwide in theaters with Lionsgate really means the world to me,” the 2002 Greencastle High School grad said. “It goes to show what our insanely talented crew is capable of in the middle of Indiana, they not only pulled off one hell of a film, they made our Covid production bubble feel like a family. This movie is a testament to their immense talents.”
“The Duel” was filmed in the Indianapolis area during the pandemic in 2020, specifically at the Inferno Room tiki bar in Fountain Square, the catacombs beneath City Market, Midland Arts & Antiques and Asherwood, the former estate of Mel and Bren Simon in Carmel.
Sprouse also makes his debut as executive producer with “The Duel,” saying, “I couldn’t be more proud of the film we created. In the past I’ve been reluctant to attach myself unless I wholeheartedly believed in the project, and ‘The Duel’ was exactly that for me. I believe this marks the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration with the immensely talented Justin Matthews, Luke Roberts and Zach Spicer and look forward to bringing more projects to the wonderful state of Indiana.”
Rated R, “The Duel” runs one hour, 35 minutes and is Pigasus Pictures’ seventh feature film since it was founded in 2016 by Indiana University alumni Spicer and Gordon Strain.
In a previous interview with the Banner Graphic upon the 2022 release of the psychological thriller “So Cold the River,” the fourth of his Indiana-made films, Spicer recalled how when they finished “The Good Catholic,” a 2017 movie starring Spicer alongside Danny Glover and John C. McGinley, “I did some random interview and kind of shot from the hip with a remark we were going to make five movies in Indiana in five years.”
But that’s exactly what Spicer and his Pigasus group did.
“We did two others during the pandemic,” Spicer noted, explaining that small casts allowed for testing everyone over 12 weeks of filming, and “not one single cast member tested positive.”
“Runner” will come out next. It was shot in Bloomington and places south to Evansville with a backdrop of country roads and “a lot of Indiana that people don’t see.”
Several of Pigasus’ previous films have had major success in the most prestigious international film festivals, such as South by Southwest, Toronto International Film Festival, Santa Barbara Film Festival, San Sebastián International Film Festival and global distribution by Amazon, Netflix, Hulu and now, Lionsgate. All of Pigasus’ films are shot and produced in Indiana.
“Big things can happen anywhere – especially in Indiana,” noted Spicer, son of Sylvia Spicer, and the grandson of the late Harold Spicer of Greencastle. “We’ve been telling stories that come out of unlikely places with a mission to create exceptional films, engage overlooked communities and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.”
Rounding out the cast of “The Duel” are some of Hollywood young stars who will also be attending the premiere: Denny Love (“Looking for Alaska”), Hart Denton (“Riverdale”), María Gabriela de Faría (upcoming “Superman”), Rachel Matthews (“Upgraded”), Christian McGaffney (“Simón”) and veteran Ronald Guttman (“Broadway’s Patriots”).
Tickets to the July 28 premiere range from $50 for the screening and Q&A to $500 or more for the screening plus exclusive VIP parties. Tickets sales will be announced next week. Follow @pigasuspictures and @theduelmovie for more information and other special events and screenings July 27-31.