We caught up with British film producer Jonathan Sothcott (We Still Kill The Old Way) about his exciting plans to turn his Shogun Films outfit into the busiest genre studio in Europe.
You’re currently filming spy thriller Knightfall – that’s the fourth Shogun Film in a year?
Yes it feels as though we have really hit our stride. 2023 was the start of what I call Shogun 2.0 after the, frankly, missteps of Nemesis and Renegades, which I think were something of a false start and stuck in the past, as much as there was to like about them. You can’t make a genre film company and keep flogging a dead horse – you need fresh ideas and fresh talent. I set out to work with the best filmmakers on the best projects we possibly could within our low budget niche. Luckily there were a few keen to show what they can do because there’s a huge vacuum in the UK film industry between my sort of level and the streamers. We set the bar incredibly high with Helloween and have hit it again twice with Doctor Plague and Knightfall. These are top tier B movies which I think have huge audiences ready to consume them. My dream is for the Shogun logo to represent a sort of seal of quality at the top of a film so that people know they’re going to watch something made to a certain standard with a great cast and a story that keeps them gripped.
How is it working with Ian Ogilvy again?
A joy. We’ve made 4 films together in a decade – as soon as he read Knightfall (which was always conceived as a father/daughter vehicle for him and Jeanine Sothcott) he said it was the best script I’d sent him since We Still Kill The Old Way (I agree, in fact it’s better) and was enthusiastic. Much as he doesn’t look it he’s 80 now but he’s remarkably sprightly and really threw himself into a very demanding role like the super pro that he is. Knightfall is a lovely movie for him, as a retired spy defending his rambling country estate from a mercenary unit out to kill his daughter and I think everyone involved nailed it. We had a number of cast read throughs on zoom and treated it like a big film, which I think is an important part of what makes Shogun Films different – we treat them based on quality, not budget and everyone is totally committed to making the best movie possible: Ian as much as anyone. He gives a really lovely, nuanced performance in this, he has a great chemistry with Jeanine and I think it may well be his best role yet. It was also interesting that he and Geoffrey Moore had never crossed paths, despite myriad personal and professional connections and they really spark off each other on screen with a sort of macho one upmanship before they realise they have to work together to stay alive. Knightfall and Doctor Plague probably represent the high water marks in terms of cast in my films and with Helloween the peak of my work to date.
Tell me about Doctor Plague – which is currently in post production – that seemed like a departure from the obvious action/horror projects?
Doctor Plague is something rather special – a serial killer horror movie that blends secret societies, Jack The Ripper and, well, Plague Doctors in a 7even style thriller that is really quite unique. The idea came from one of my regular composers Rob Hughes and Robert Dunn fleshed it out into a very ambitious script. As great as it was I initially saw it as one of our smaller movies but then I saw Martin Kemp socially and it got me thinking… we haven’t made a movie together in a decade… what if? My wife pushed the idea and I sent him the script and he loved it – I should’ve known from the start: 15 years ago Martin and I had a private tour of the Black Museum at Scotland Yard and we both loved it – so all that cloak and (literal) dagger stuff was right up his street. Loving the script is one thing but I genuinely don’t have the words for how good Martin is in Doctor Plague. It’s his film in the same way The Wicker Man is Edward Woodward’s – he drives the story along with a phenomenal, intense performance which I think is his best since The Krays – maybe ever. There’s also a phenomenal supporting cast – Jeanine gives a fantastic performance, as does Peter Woodward and there are some great guest stars – Wendy Glenn is an actress I have long admired and she’s terrific ditto Michael Mckell. It’s a very classy cast. Special film, watch out for it next Spring.
When can we expect to see Helloween? That has had some great advance buzz and garnered interest online?
We are very close to delivering that to the sales company, it is in the last furlong of post production and is looking fantastic. I hope that it will be out this side of Christmas and believe me it’s worth the wait. It isn’t a supernatural style clown movie like It or The Terrifier (I think that series is so cool), it’s more Halloween meets The Purge, set in the 2016 killer clown craze. Again, great performances and writer/director Phil Claydon is a genius force of nature, a real grafter and with bundles of talent. I think people will be talking about this one for years to come.
What’s next on the Shogun slate?
We’re in pre-production on Werewolf Hunt, which in a rare departure I’ve co-written with Robert Dunn and Josh Ridgway. It’s an absolutely savage high octane action horror, Predator meets Dog Soldiers and we have really lucked out with some phenomenal practical werewolf suits – we camera tested them a few weeks ago and some randoms walked into the studio and literally jumped three feet in the air screaming – so I think the wolfies have passed the sniff test! So I’m very excited about that, shooting in October. After that is a real clever action movie Active Shooters written by Chad Law and Josh Ridgway, which has been gestating for a couple of years and is now very close to shoot. I think audiences are a lot less tolerant of average action movies so we’re ensuring this one is really special. There’s a very clever vampire thriller called Midnight Kiss written by Simon Cluett on the cards and another horror called Harbinger. That will take us to Shogun ten movies. In February I’m reuniting with Vendetta director Stephen Reynolds on a hitman thriller called Too Long The Night, which I’m really looking forward to. All these movies will be out in the wild in 2025 and at the minute I just can’t wait to share the worlds we’ve been building.
Do you see yourself embracing the trend for Public Domain horror movies?
I think it’s more jumping on the bandwagon than embracing the trend so no, I don’t. We get pitched a lot of it and certain distributors are always keen on it but we’re trying to not go down the road of just making a quick buck for the sake of it. I want people to be proud to work on our movies. That isn’t to say we wouldn’t make films based on people and characters already in the public domain, be it Dracula, Guy Fawkes or Jack The Ripper but we’re not scouring the ‘entering the public domain’ lists every year, there are enough people doing that already and you know what good luck to them. It is bloody hard making a movie so I admire pretty much anyone that achieves it.
You use the term ‘quality’ a lot – how do you ensure that and make the Shogun productions stand out from the crowd?
By working with the right people and by being absolutely hands on from the ground up. I am across every single development note, every casting suggestion, every piece of artwork. I’m in my mid-40s now and this is my last chance to really make a go of creating a mini genre studio – not just because of my age but in 20 years time who knows where the movie business is. We’re also not just chasing young audiences – I do make a point of making films that people over 40 will enjoy too and our casting certainly leans into that. There are so many middle aged and older actors who have SO much to give but have been lost in the shuffle a little with this current obsession with chasing youth and influence. And that’s the quality we can access – talent, experience, pedigree, call it what you will.
What is your ultimate ambition with Shogun?
To become a genuine creative hub for talented genre filmmakers around the world, a business that people are excited to work for and be part of. 4 films in 12 months is no small achievement but my ambition for Shogun is genuinely without limit – with the new tax breaks in the UK we have a once in a generation opportunity to scale this business and make it into a modern day Hammer or AIP. And I’m going to do everything I can to ensure that happens. If you love genre movies, B movies, unapologetically commercial movies, Shogun is the place for you to get your fix and I want to foster and nurture a real community – we’re doing making of books, action figures, collector’s edition CD soundtracks, everything we can to make our output stand out.
More information on Shogun’s slate can be found at www.shogunfilms.com
