Uniquely told from the perspective of a loyal canine, the horror film Good Boy is the feature debut from director Ben Leonberg and stars Indy – Leonberg’s own dog.
The human cast includes Shane Jensen as Todd, an ailing man seeking solace in his ancestral farmhouse, alongside Larry Fessenden as the late grandfather, Arielle Friedman as Todd’s concerned sister, and Stuart Rudin.
Good Boy made its world premiere at SXSW Film Festival 2025, where Indy earned the inaugural “Howl of Fame” award. It went on to screen at other festivals including the Overlook Film Festival where it snagged an Honorable Mention for Scariest Feature Film. It opens in U.S. theaters on October 3, 2025, following its acquisition by IFC and Shudder.
Good Boy is the story of a dog who sees everything that goes bump in the night.
A loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner Todd, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.
Director Ben Leonberg describes his vision in Filmmaker Magazine, saying, “It was really important to me that Indy be a character that audiences would relate to as a real dog. That they recognize his behavior and reactions as genuine to dogs they’ve had. This isn’t Air Bud or Lassie – where the dog is always happy-go-lucky, clearly acting for food, or listening to an off-camera trainer. My goal was to have Indy behave and act realistically (or as realistically as possible given the film’s supernatural events).”
Watch the official trailer above.
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