A horror short about seeing God in a painting has landed a big-screen ticket. Lionsgate has picked up Portrait of God, the seven-minute YouTube sensation by Dylan Clark, and is turning it into a full-length movie. The upcoming feature will star Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another), with Jordan Peele and Sam Raimi producing.
Clark wrote, directed and edited the original short. He will now direct and co-write the feature alongside Joe Russo (The Inheritance). The project reunites Peele and Raimi, the directors behind Get Out and The Evil Dead, respectively.
The Short Film That Started It All
Portrait of God opens with a Bible verse: “No man shall see Me and live.” The film follows a religious girl preparing an oral presentation about a painting. Some viewers say there is nothing on the canvas. Others say they see a person in the darkness. The reports are eerily similar.
As the girl prepares, she associates the picture with God and describes it as a religious experience. She then begins to see something more sinister on the canvas. The short runs only seven minutes, but there is a lot to digest in that time.
The film has gained a following online, with viewers debating what they see in the image. The premise is simple: a girl looks at a painting and starts to believe she is seeing God. What happens next is left open-ended, and that ambiguity is part of the appeal.
The Producers Behind the Project
Jordan Peele and Sam Raimi are set to produce Portrait of God. Peele brought the world Get Out, the social-horror breakout. Raimi is best known for The Evil Dead.
The pairing of the two directors as producers is notable. Their combined credits cover a wide range of horror subgenres. Their producing partnership suggests a willingness to experiment with form.
Peele and Raimi will help Clark pick the right setting for the feature.
What the Feature Could Expand
There are several directions the feature could take. The short is brief, so there is room to flesh out the backstory of the painting, the girl’s history with religion, or the community around her.
Here are three possible paths the film could follow:
- Expand the short: Add context to the girl’s life, her family, and her relationship with faith. The painting could become a window into her past.
- Focus on the portrait’s backstory: Dig into the history of the painting itself. Who created it? What secrets does it hold?
- Take a different route: Abandon the girl’s perspective entirely and explore the painting’s effect on other people who encounter it.
The feature will likely choose one of these approaches, or blend elements of all three. The key will be maintaining the tension that made the short work.
The Internet Horror Trend
Portrait of God fits squarely into a current trend in horror filmmaking. More and more horror movies are being adapted from internet stories, fan theories and viral content.
These films tend to have a relatively low production budget and immediate fan interest. That combination is halfway to becoming a box office hit. The model works because the audience is already invested before the cameras roll.
Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, based on a creepy YouTube found-footage series with over 100 million views, was a recipe for success. Lionsgate may be looking to replicate that formula with Portrait of God.
What Comes Next for the Feature
The feature is still in development, so details on release dates and cast additions are thin. The creative team is assembled, and the project has a clear path forward.
The challenge for Clark will be staying true to the short while expanding it. The original is a tight, self-contained piece. Stretching it into a full feature requires careful planning to avoid diluting the central idea.
Raimi and Peele’s involvement adds weight to the project. Their combined credits cover a wide range of horror subgenres. Their producing partnership suggests a willingness to experiment with form.
Our Call on the Project
Portrait of God has the ingredients for success. A memorable premise, a talented director, and producers with proven track records. The film could be the next great thing in horror.
The internet horror trend has produced hits. Backrooms showed what can happen when a viral idea meets a studio budget. Portrait of God has a similar starting point, and Lionsgate appears to be betting on it.
The feature will be interesting to watch. It could expand the short, focus on the portrait’s backstory, or take a completely different route. The outcome depends on how Clark chooses to build on his original vision.
Source material: “Evil Dead and Get Out Directors Will Bring Another Internet Horror Sensation to the Big Screen,” Polygon.
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