“It inhabits him now.”
That line—calm, terrifying, final—is the heartbeat of Shaman, the upcoming horror feature from director Antonio Negret (Transit, Seconds Apart). And it lands like a dagger in the new trailer revealed by Well Go USA, which promises a harrowing fusion of spiritual warfare, cultural reckoning, and jungle-born nightmares.
Set deep in the volcanic wilds of rural Ecuador, Shaman follows a devout missionary named Candice (Sara Canning), whose family arrives with Bibles in hand and a righteous cause: convert the indigenous locals. But when her young son enters a forbidden cave and emerges… changed, their mission is upended by something far older—and far more dangerous—than Catholic doctrine is prepared to handle.
When Faith Breaks, Fear Fills the Gap
Let’s be honest: we’ve seen possession stories before. But Shaman doesn’t rehash the usual “pea soup and crucifix” formula. The threat here isn’t just demonic—it’s primal. Local shamans warn that what’s inside the boy didn’t come from Hell. It came from before. Before saints and sacraments. Before language, even. This is ancient jungle horror. Elemental. And it doesn’t care about your Latin rites.
Canning, backed by Daniel Gillies and Jett Klyne, brings a grounded intensity to the lead role—a mother torn between her beliefs and the reality of an evil her religion can’t contain. The trailer smartly avoids overexposure, teasing just enough: the flicker of firelight on stone idols, chanting that turns guttural, and a boy whose stare seems to split the screen in half.
Antonio Negret Returns to His Roots—And Then Sets Them on Fire
Negret, whose résumé spans kinetic thrillers (Overdrive) and stylish horror, directs this film with a clear intent to disturb—not just scare. Shot entirely on location in Ecuador, there’s a tactile realism to the film’s sweaty, volcanic setting. You can almost smell the moss, feel the weight of the humidity. That atmosphere isn’t decoration—it’s possession fuel.
And that may be Shaman’s strongest play: making the land itself feel alive, complicit, even hungry. As the trailer’s soundscape swells with guttural chants and jungle drums, you start to wonder—what if the Earth wants this boy to stay possessed?
A Reminder That Horror Works Best When It’s Personal
Screenwriter Daniel Negret (yes, Antonio’s brother) smartly keeps the story tight. It’s not global stakes or apocalyptic dread. It’s a mother. A son. A belief system cracking. At its heart, Shaman isn’t about whether the demon wins. It’s about whether faith means anything when you’re 3,000 miles from Rome and staring down something older than Genesis.
And let’s be real—there’s something both cynical and refreshing about a horror film that asks: What if the missionaries are the ones who need saving?
