Last month, fans got their first real look at The Belko Experiment, the terrifying new workplace thriller which comes from writer James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) and director Greg McLean (Wolf Creek), with a new red band trailer. While we wait for the next batch of footage to come through, Blumhouse Tilt has dropped the first poster, which teases some of the mayhem that's in store for the fans. The one-sheet even includes a critic's quote, which claims this movie is, "Office Space meets Battle Royale."
The poster was unveiled on Twitter earlier today, showing an unspecified office employee using a bulky tape dispenser to bludgeon one of his co-workers to death. This is not the story of one crazed employee going on an office-wide rampage, but something far more sinister entirely. On what appears to be a normal day at Belko Industries, Belko employees are horrified when they find out that they've become guinea pigs in a company-wide experiment which will lead them to either kill their fellow employees or be murdered themselves.
The experiment is masterminded by a mysterious voice which is controlling the loud speaker and instructing the employees to slaughter each other by any means necessary. The diverse cast is lead by John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Michael Rooker, David Dastmalchian, Owain Yeoman and John C. McGinley. The supporting cast is rounded out by Adria Arjona, Melonie Diaz, Sean Gunn, Steve Agee, Valentine Miele, Gail Bean, Steven Blakeheart, Rusty Schwimmer, Josh Brener, David Del Rio, Abraham Benrubi, Joe Fria, Ben Davis, James Earl, Brent Sexton and Mikaela Hoover. The film held its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, but it remains to be seen if it will continue on the festival circuit before it debuts in theaters this spring.
Blumhouse Tilt has issued a March 17 release date for The Belko Experiment, which will go up against two very different but highly-anticipated movies. Disney will release their live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast on March 17, which is shaping up to be one of this year's early blockbusters, after setting new records for trailer views last year. It will also go up against A24's indie action comedy Free Fire, which boasts a cast that includes Oscar winner Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy and Sharlto Copley. This could turn out to be quite the competitive weekend at the box office for all three films.
Production took place in Bogota, Columbia last summer, with James Gunn producing alongside Peter Safran. Just a few months after The Belko Experiment hits theaters, frequent collaborators Michael Rooker and director James Gunn will bring fans their highly-anticipated sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which kicks off the summer movie season on May 5. While The Belko Experiment isn't expected to bring in the kind of box office numbers Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will, it still could certainly become a sleeper hit of this spring. Take a look at the new poster for The Belko Experiment below.
