1970s late night television has a certain eeriness to it, especially when you have a late show host played by David Dastmalchian (Suicide Squad, The Last Voyage of the Demeter) who potentially summons a demon on air.
That’s the premise of Late Night With the Devil, a movie from IFC Films coming out in theaters next month. IFC just released a teaser trailer for it, which captures that 1970s television feel with a very healthy dose of terror.
Here’s the movie’s official synopsis:
October 31, 1977. Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy (Dastmalchian) hosts a syndicated late night talk show Night Owls that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. A year after the tragic death of Jack’s wife, ratings have plummeted. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other, unaware that he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America.
Late Night With the Devil is directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes, Australian filmmakers and brothers who were inspired by their own childhood TV watching habits. “The seed of what would become Late Night With the Devil was sown in the ‘80s when, as children, we would stay up late to watch The Don Lane Show, Australia’s answer to The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” the two said in a statement. “Don was a curious figure, and nor was he Australian—he was, in fact, a 6’3” nightclub performer from the Bronx, who, through persistence and a little good luck, found himself hosting Australia’s most successful talk show. Local audiences were seduced as much by the accent as the genial schtick.”
In addition to Dastmalchian, the movie stars Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Ingrid Torelli, Fayssal Bazzi, and Rhys Auteri. Check out the teaser trailer below:
Late Night With the Devil premieres in theaters on March 22, 2024 and will stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024.
