Kelsey Taylor, in her debut feature To Kill a Wolf, recasts the classic Little Red Riding Hood tale within the untamed expanses of the Oregon wilderness.
The film stars Ivan Martin as the Woodsman, a socially isolated man whose structured solitude is upended when he discovers Maddison Brown’s Dani, an injured teenage runaway whom he reluctantly rescues. Alongside them, Kaitlin Doubleday and Michael Esper deliver chilling support performances.
The film debuted at FilmFestKnox, where it won Best American Regional Film, and more recently, it screened at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It opened in theaters on August 1, 2025, and is expanding in more cities on August 22 with filmmaker Q&As.
Set on the fringes of the Oregon wilderness, two strangers are brought together when a reclusive Woodsman (Ivan Martin) discovers a teenage runaway, Dani (Maddison Brown) hypothermic and barely conscious in the woods. After saving Dani from the elements, The Woodsman begrudgingly agrees to return the teen to her grandmother. As they make their way across the state, they forge an unexpected bond, delving into their pasts and testing their willingness to trust one another.
Ultimately, with each other’s help, they find the courage to face the demons that haunt them and discover a way to start anew.
Director Kelsey Taylor shared insights into her creative process and intentions with Filmmaker Magazine, saying, “Right now, everybody wants a horror movie. “If you’re trying to break in as a director, make a horror movie” — that’s what everybody tells you. Every time I set out to do that, I end up with this compromise, which is a drama that has genre elements. That’s exactly what To Kill a Wolf is, and if you’ve seen some of my other work, it’s the same thing. It starts off as a horror movie, and then it turns into more of a human, character-driven story.”
Watch the official trailer above.
Nationwide Theatrical Tour
NEW YORK // August 1 – 7
REGAL UNION SQUARE
LOS ANGELES // August 8 – 14
REGAL SHERMAN OAKS GALLERIA
LONG BEACH // August 13
ART THEATRE OF LONG BEACH
BEND // August 15 – 21
REGAL OLD MILL
PORTLAND // August 15 – 21
REGAL FOX TOWER
SEATTLE // August 15 – 21
REGAL MERIDIAN
EUGENE // August 21
THE EUGENE ART HOUSE
SAN DIEGO // August 22 – 28
REGAL MIRA MESA
AUSTIN // August 22 – 28
REGAL GATEWAY
CHICAGO // August 22 – 28
REGAL CITY NORTH
ATLANTA // August 22 – 28
REGAL MALL OF GEORGIA
DENVER // August 22 – 28
REGAL UA DENVER PAVILLIONS
TAMPA // August 29- September 4
TAMPA GREENLIGHT CINEMA
NORTH BEND // September 6
THE NORTH BEND THEATER
PALM SPRINGS // September 13
THE CAMELOT THEATRE
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.