Picture this: a fog-shrouded monastery in 14th-century England, its stone walls echoing with the chants of monks—until screams replace prayers. A plague turns the living into ravenous undead, and two of Hollywood’s brightest stars, Will Poulter and Kit Connor, fresh from their gut-punching roles in A24’s Warfare, are diving headfirst into this medieval nightmare. Joined by Elite heartthrob Manu Ríos, they’re set to battle “revenants” in Rapture, a bone-chilling horror epic directed by Jordan Tannahill. Buckle up for a bloody clash of faith, survival, and zombie chaos that’s already got fans buzzing.
A Medieval Nightmare at Lansley Abbey
Set in 1348, Rapture plunges us into Lansley Abbey, a Yorkshire monastery where ten monks cling to their rigid routines. Their world unravels when a messenger arrives, feverish and bearing grim tidings. As a hemorrhagic plague sweeps the land, transforming victims into restless, flesh-craving “revenants,” the abbey becomes a fortress under siege. Desperate refugees beg for sanctuary, the infected lurk within, and the monks grapple with a brutal choice: save the sick or protect the abbey’s ancient knowledge. Expect betrayal, sacrifice, and moral chaos as the undead close in.
“It’s a rare beast—a zombie horror that’s as atmospheric as it is terrifying, with characters facing impossible moral choices in a vividly real historical world,” said Gabrielle Stewart, CEO of HanWay Films, which is pitching Rapture at Cannes. With filming kicking off in Hungary later this year, the stage is set for a genre-defying bloodbath.
Poulter and Connor: Brothers in Arms, Now Zombie Slayers
Poulter and Connor’s reunion in Rapture is a direct payoff from their time in Warfare, a 2025 war film that’s been hailed as “the most harrowing depiction of modern combat ever made.” In Warfare, directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, Poulter’s Captain Eric and Connor’s young soldier Tommy endured a real-time SEAL mission in 2006 Iraq. The cast’s three-week bootcamp, shaved heads, and matching “Call On Me” tattoos (a nod to the film’s Erik Prydz anthem) forged a bond that Poulter says “felt like family.” That trust will fuel their dynamic in Rapture, where they’ll face horrors far older than modern warfare.
Poulter, 32, is a master of intense roles, from Midsommar’s unraveling everyman to The Revenant’s rugged survivor. Connor, 21, won hearts in Heartstopper and flexed his chops as a young Elton John in Rocketman. Their co-star, Manu Ríos, 26, brings charisma from Elite and Almodóvar’s Strange Way of Life. While their roles in Rapture are still hush-hush, this trio’s star power promises electric chemistry.
Reinventing Zombies with Medieval Grit
Rapture isn’t your average zombie flick. Its “revenants” aren’t just shambling corpses—they’re restless undead tied to the Black Death’s grim reality. Set in 1348, the film leans into the era’s plagues and monastic life, blending historical grit with supernatural dread. Director Jordan Tannahill, a playwright making his feature debut, crafts a story that’s as much about human morality as it is about head-crushing horror. Backed by producers from Infinity Pool and Past Lives, and shot by Lamb’s Eli Arenson, Rapture is poised to look as haunting as it feels.
Why Rapture Will Slay
After Warfare wowed critics (if not box offices), Rapture could be Poulter and Connor’s ticket to horror stardom, with Ríos stealing scenes alongside them. Its mix of visceral scares, historical depth, and moral weight feels like The Last of Us meets The Name of the Rose. Digital Spy calls it “atmospheric and terrifying,” and X posts are already hyping its potential. With a 2026 release on the horizon, Rapture is shaping up to be a genre game-changer.
Catch Poulter and Connor in Warfare now, and brace for their zombie-slaying monk saga in Rapture. The abbey’s walls won’t hold forever—and neither will your nerves.
Source: Deadline
