IFC Films shared the official trailer for The Rule of Jenny Pen, the horror thriller film starring Geoffrey Rush as a judge who finds himself in a nursing home after an unexpected health scare, where he encounters a bizarre resident (played by John Lithgow) hellbent on terrorizing the patients.

Directed by James Ashcroft, The Rule of Jenny Pen made its world premiere as the opening film of Fantastic Fest 2024, and opens in theaters on March 7, 2025.

In the film, Judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush), who suffers a near-fatal stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home. There, Mortensen clashes with a seemingly gentle resident named Dave Crealy (Lithgow) who is actually secretly terrorizing the home with a sadistic game called “The Rule of Jenny Pen” while wielding his dementia doll as an instrument of cruelty. When Mortensen’s pleas to the staff go unanswered, he takes it upon himself to put an end to Crealy’s reign of terror.

“Working with two of my acting heroes, Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow, was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Ashcroft.

Indiewire review graded the film B- writing, ” What begins as an atypical use of two beloved actors gets more messy than complex in “The Rule of Jenny Pen.” And yet, the undaunted director, Ashcroft, approaches his vision with palpable conviction. It’s that same sort of boldness we’ve seen delivered throughout his stars’ decade-spanning acting careers, as well as definitive proof that the filmmaker can manage big name talent.”

Watch the official trailer for The Rule of Jenny Pen.