Academy Award nominee John Lithgow (Pet Sematary, Dexter) takes on a chilling new role in the upcoming psychological thriller The Rule of Jenny Pen, where he plays a sadistic psychopath tormenting a retirement home with the help of a sinister puppet. The newly released trailer offers a glimpse into Lithgow’s unnerving performance, setting the stage for a gripping and disturbing tale.
A Battle of Acting Legends
Opposite Lithgow, Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise) stars as the unfortunate target of his character’s twisted games. The film follows Judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush), an arrogant legal mind whose life takes a drastic turn when he suffers a near-fatal stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home.
Struggling with his new reality, Mortensen isolates himself, resisting the help of the staff and keeping his friendly roommate at a distance. However, his biggest challenge comes when he crosses paths with Dave Crealy (Lithgow), an outwardly kind but deeply manipulative resident. Crealy secretly terrorizes the home through a sadistic game known as “The Rule of Jenny Pen”, using his unsettling dementia doll, Jenny Pen, as an instrument of psychological and emotional torment.
What begins as seemingly harmless mischief quickly spirals into something far more sinister. As Mortensen desperately tries to warn the staff of the lurking danger, his cries for help go unanswered. Left with no other option, he takes it upon himself to end Crealy’s reign of terror—leading to what promises to be a thrilling and suspenseful showdown.
A Dark and Twisted Tale
Directed by James Ashcroft, The Rule of Jenny Pen is co-written by Ashcroft and Eli Kent, marking the duo’s follow-up to their brutal New Zealand thriller Coming Home in the Dark. Given their past work, audiences can expect a deeply unsettling and atmospheric experience.
The film is produced by Catherine Fitzgerald and Orlando Stewart, with Ashcroft, Kent, Lithgow, Rush, Emily Gotto, Nicholas Lazo, and Samuel Zimmerman serving as executive producers.
Set for a March 7, 2025 release, The Rule of Jenny Pen promises to deliver a nerve-wracking experience, fueled by two powerhouse performances from Lithgow and Rush. The trailer alone is enough to send chills down your spine, with the eerie presence of Jenny Pen taking center stage.
Prepare for an intense psychological showdown when the film hits theaters next month.
