A fiercely independent woman tries to single-handedly kill a hungry humanoid monster each night it visits her house.

SYNOPSIS:

Horror/Action feature script for option or sale

Sub-genres: Contained Horror/Survival Horror/Monster

Budget: Low ($3MM-$5MM)

Short Synopsis: Night Crier, a nocturnal monster that looks like a woman, discovers a secluded house in a small town. She rings the doorbell and cries, waiting for someone to answer the door. Kelsa Banks, a resourceful woman who never asks for help or accepts it, takes Night Crier inside, thinking she’s hurt. Kelsa’s best friend and housemate, Dakota López, realizes Night Crier is a monster, and Kelsa shoots Night Crier. The creature flees from the house, badly wounded. Despite having people to help her against Night Crier, Kelsa tries to single-handedly kill the monster each night it visits to eat her and Dakota. Kelsa realizes she needs help to kill Night Crier. Kelsa, Arch, and Dakota work together and kill Night Crier. Kelsa puts together a team to find Night Crier hideouts and destroy them.

Full Synopsis:

Night Crier, a nocturnal monster that looks like a woman and eats people, rings the doorbell at a small-town house and cries, waiting for someone to answer. A lady takes Night Crier inside, thinking she’s hurt. The monster attacks her and her husband.

In a different NC town, a resourceful woman who never asks for help or accepts it, Kelsa Banks, refuses help from her housemate/horror writer, Dakota López, and Dakota’s cousin, Naylene López.

Stomping through the woods looking for her next prey, Night Crier discovers Kelsa’s secluded house. As Night Crier starts to ring the doorbell, Kelsa’s crush, Arch Briggs, and two hunting buddies drive up. Night Crier hides, afraid to attack more than three people at once. Kelsa talks with Arch about an event he’s having to help people.

After Arch and the hunters leave, Night Crier rings the doorbell and cries. Kelsa thinks she’s hurt, so she takes Night Crier inside. Dakota realizes she’s a Night Crier. After Kelsa wounds Night Crier in a fight, the monster flees.

Dakota tells Kelsa Night Crier will be back tomorrow night and explains how she knows about the creature: Dakota read a story about Night Criers that Hugo Carey wrote. Kelsa says she’s going to kill Night Crier by herself.

During the day, Kelsa gets ready for the second fight with Night Crier. At Arch’s military surplus store, Kelsa spends time with him, and he develops feelings for her.

Determined to get her prey, Night Crier returns to Kelsa’s house that night. Night Crier’s body is healed. Kelsa wounds Night Crier, making the monster flee.

Dakota gets angry because Kelsa keeps trying to kill Night Crier alone. Dakota asks Sheriff Maurice Walker, his department, and Naylene to help Kelsa.

Arch tells Kelsa he doesn’t want to have a relationship with her, because she never asks for help or accepts it.

Kelsa fights Night Crier the third time. Night Crier bites her right hand, so Kelsa has to rely mainly on one hand to fight. The creature flees because of her wounds.

After Arch finds out about Night Crier, Dakota asks him to help Kelsa kill the monster, but Kelsa refuses to accept his help.

During Kelsa’s fourth fight with Night Crier, Kelsa asks Arch to help her kill the monster. Arch wounds Night Crier, and she flees.

Kelsa, Arch, and Dakota go over a plan to kill Night Crier. Arch asks Kelsa to be his girlfriend, and they become a couple.

In the most difficult fight, Kelsa and Arch battle Night Crier. Night Crier injures them, so Dakota helps against the monster. Night Crier tries to flee, but Kelsa kills her.

One year later, a team of hunters—Kelsa, Arch, Dakota, Naylene, Sheriff Walker, and Hugo—leaves Kelsa’s house to find more Night Crier hideouts and destroy them.

Why This Movie and Why Now?: A lot of people don’t like to ask for help or accept it. This script is my way of saying, “It’s ok to ask for help and accept help.” The script features a new creature villain. After years and years of the same creature villains being recycled, it’s time for a new one.

Thanks for hearing my pitch. A script treatment and a pitch deck are available. Message me on Stage 32 or email me with any questions.

Poster: Poster made with Canva.com. Photo of woman copyright JTSorrell (istockphoto.com). Photo of house copyright yostdaniel (istockphoto.com).

NIGHT CRIER