2 minute read
A new horror film is set to rattle audiences in 2025—and its unlikely hero is a dog. Good Boy, directed by Ben Leonberg, has dropped its first trailer, teasing a chilling story of loyalty, terror, and the supernatural.
The film follows Indy, a devoted retriever, and his owner Todd as they move from the city to an eerie, long-abandoned family home in the countryside. From the start, Indy senses something isn’t right: empty corners whisper with unseen presences, visions of a long-dead dog serve as ominous warnings, and haunting glimpses of past tragedy plague the old house. As Todd begins to fall under the sway of malevolent forces, it’s up to Indy to fight for his best friend’s soul before the darkness drags him into the afterlife.
Indy the Dog’s Big-Screen Breakthrough
Indy may not know he’s a movie star, but critics are already calling his performance groundbreaking. The 35-pound retriever first appeared in the short film version of Good Boy, and now makes his feature debut with a role that’s both heartwarming and terrifying.
RogerEbert.com calls it “a staggering pet performance… touching bittersweetly on the deep and abiding love a pet can have for his owner,” while Dread Central hails it as “primed to be one of the most chilling movies of 2025.” IndieWire praises the film for avoiding cheap gimmicks, and Daily Dead goes so far as to say it’s “paving the way for horror filmmakers to rethink the genre’s limitations.”
A Director with Vision
Good Boy marks the feature debut of director Ben Leonberg, whose background spans narrative, commercial, and VR filmmaking. A Columbia MFA graduate and current film professor, Leonberg is known for pairing fantastical elements with deeply human stories. His handmade, practical effects and inventive techniques make Good Boy feel both intimate and unsettling.
‘Good Boy’ Cast & Details
- Director: Ben Leonberg
- Writers: Alex Cannon & Ben Leonberg
- Cast: Indy the Dog, Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, Larry Fessenden
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Language: English
- Runtime: 73 minutes
With early buzz calling it one of the year’s most unique horror experiences, Good Boy promises to deliver scares wrapped in an unexpectedly heartfelt story about the bond between man and dog.
