Searchlight Teams Up with Chloe Okuno and Elizabeth Banks for April Wolfe’s ‘Bad Hand’ Script
Two Notable Figures in Horror Join Forces for New Thriller at Searchlight Pictures
Chloe Okuno, acclaimed director of Watcher, is set to direct the upcoming thriller Bad Hand under the banner of Searchlight Pictures. This project features a script penned by April Wolfe, known for her work on Black Christmas. Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, and Alison Small will serve as producers through Brownstone Productions.
The narrative centers on a mild-mannered kindergarten teacher who, just a week before her wedding, becomes the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Following the traumatic event, she uncovers a chilling transformation: her right hand begins to act independently, driven by a thirst for revenge.
Searchlight is overseeing the project through its Head of Acquisitions and Production, Chan Phung, and Director of Acquisitions and Production, Marielle Membreno. They report to DanTram Nguyen and Katie Goodson-Thomas, the studio’s Heads of Production and Development.
Okuno has recently completed the film Brides for Neon, a project she both wrote and directed, featuring Olivia Cooke. Her previous work, Watcher, premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2022 and was distributed by IFC Films.
A graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory, Okuno received the Franklin J. Shaffner Fellow Award for her accomplishments. Her short film Slut has garnered attention on the festival circuit, winning several audience and jury awards.
Wolfe, previously the creator and host of the acclaimed podcast Switchblade Sisters, co-wrote the 2019 horror film Black Christmas. She has since expanded her repertoire with the comic thriller Clawfoot and is currently developing multiple film and television projects.
Okuno is represented by UTA and Jackoway Austen, while Wolfe is represented by UTA, XYZ, and Jackoway Austen. Brownstone Productions is also represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
