The Grim Reaper and the Devil Are Falling in Love, and Sarah Michelle Gellar and Rudy Pankow Are Playing Them
Supernatural romance has always had a magnetic pull on audiences, and Hollywood seems to be betting that the genre still has plenty of dark magic left. The latest project leaning into that irresistible tension is ‘Thud,’ an upcoming film that pairs two unlikely cosmic entities in what may be the most chaotic love story imaginable. It is the kind of high-concept premise that makes you stop scrolling instantly, and the casting behind it only makes the whole thing more electric.
‘Thud’ comes from director Mali Elfman, whose previous feature ‘Next Exit’ earned her a reputation for blending genre elements with emotionally grounded storytelling. That debut premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, with Elfman drawing on her extensive producing background to craft an intimate, multi-genre story about death and the afterlife. With ‘Thud,’ she is returning to familiar thematic territory, only this time with a distinctly romantic twist and considerably more star power behind it.
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Rudy Pankow have both inked deals to lead the film, with Gellar playing the Grim Reaper and Pankow stepping into the role of the Devil. Based on an original screenplay by Noga Pnueli, the story follows the two supernatural figures as they meet at a three-day destination wedding, each arriving with their own plans to sow chaos, only to find themselves falling for each other in the middle of it all.
For Gellar, the role marks an official return to supernatural territory following months of headlines tied to the canceled ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ revival at Hulu, a revival that was axed in March just as the actress was premiering her horror sequel ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ at SXSW. Gellar told People that she received the cancellation call right as she was stepping onto the stage for the film’s premiere, describing the moment as something nobody saw coming, including the head of Searchlight. That ‘Thud’ reunites her with Radio Silence, the same production company behind ‘Ready or Not 2,’ adds a layer of continuity to what is shaping up to be a prolific new chapter in her career.
Pankow, best known for playing JJ Maybank across four seasons of Netflix’s ‘Outer Banks,’ has been actively broadening his range since departing the series. He recently appeared in the Colleen Hoover adaptation ‘Reminders of Him,’ has completed filming on the modern Western ‘Cowboy,’ and is set to appear next in Hulu’s comedy ‘Never Change!’ Signing on to play the Devil opposite Gellar’s Grim Reaper suggests Pankow is chasing roles with genuine range, a smart move for an actor working to prove he has more to offer than the sun-soaked adventures that made him famous.
The film is set to shoot in Los Angeles with a California tax credit, and will be produced by Derek Bishé and David Grove Churchill Viste, with executive producers including Radio Silence’s Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin alongside Divide/Conquer’s Greg Gilreath and Adam Hendricks. No release date has been announced yet, but with a production team this stacked and a premise that practically sells itself, ‘Thud’ already feels like one of the more exciting genre films in the pipeline.
The combination of Gellar’s genre credibility and Pankow’s growing film momentum, filtered through a director who already proved she can find real feeling inside stories about death, makes this one worth watching closely. Whether you are rooting for the Grim Reaper or the Devil, let us know in the comments which of these two chaotic supernatural icons you think will steal every scene.
