Janelle Monáe horror film 'Antebellum' confirms UK release date

Upcoming 2020 horror film Antebellum, starring Janelle Monáe, has received a UK release date. Written and directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, the film follows successful author Veronica Henley (Monáe) as she is plunged into a horrifying reality that forces her to confront her past, present and future.

The Lionsgate-backed film was released in the United States in September 2020, after it was revealed that the film would bypass cinema releases due to Covid-19, opting for a straight-to-digital release.

The film is now slated for UK release on Sky Cinema this coming April.

“While the theatrical experience will always be the heart of our business, we are thrilled that we are able to seize the opportunity to match Gerard and Chris’ urgent and immediate film with a release strategy befitting this moment of extraordinary change," said Lionsgate Chairman Joe Drake.

“Gerard and Chris are storytellers whose work beats with authenticity – not only will this film entertain and thrill audiences worldwide, but spark a discussion about our current world,” he added.

In a recent roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, Monáe said of the film: "I brought all of my ancestors home with me. This is a project [that is] so of-the-times today. It was very heavy, and it was not going to be a 'yes' for me, because I knew I was going to have to dig deep, I knew the responsibility, the weight, and what this character was going to have to go through physically and emotionally. I couldn't even talk to my family sometimes...we were filming most of the stuff at night, on a plantation, and I felt everything."

Watch the trailer below.