“I like to bring in new talent – I’m not always trying to get named actors so you can put more bums on seats”: Sean Cronin on Bogieville

Animatedly feral, Sean Cronin’s Bogieville reimagines vampires in a more animalistic manner: blood-soaked and extremely wicked. Set in the deep South of America to evoke that hillbilly touch, it follows a couple whose road trip takes a horrifyingly gruesome turn when they come across the mysterious trailer park run by the elusive Madison. Ham and Jody, stranded, end up working under the care of the wary and secretive Crawford. His hospitality is riddled with nonsensical rules that Ham constantly questions, especially regarding the enigmatic basement that Crawford vehemently forbids them from entering. Meanwhile, a local doctor and sheriff investigate the disappearances of several individuals.

Written by Henry P Gravelle, the film is adapted by Cronin, who also plays Madison, the leader of the vampiric pack. Having first read the script 12 years ago, Cronin has seen the piece develop and evolve, even adding creative touches of his own through the production process. The aesthetics are inspired by one of Cronin’s favourite vampire films, Near Dark, alongside films like Deliverance and The Hills Have Eyes. In this feature, Cronin juggles the role of directing and acting, especially in the full Madison get-up. The Upcoming caught up with the filmmaker to discuss his updates on Gravelle’s script, the recreation of Surrey as the deep South of America, and building the tapestry of cast surrounding his performance as Madison.

Mae Trumata

Bogieville is released digitally on 13^th June 2025.

Watch the trailer for Bogieville here: