Adrian Chiarella & Joe Bird Spill On What The Queer-Haunting Leviticus Entity Looks Like

How Leviticus transforms queer longing into one of horror’s most chilling nightmares

Check out the article on our site to view the video. Leviticus might be the first horror movie to ever make us scream and swoon, sometimes in the same scene! From writer-director Adrian Chiarella, the acclaimed film takes us to a small, conservative Australian town where teenaged transplant Naim (Joe Bird, breakout star of the ’22 horror Talk To Me) quickly falls for his new classmate Ryan (Thrash‘s Stacy Clausen). But when their secret is foun…

Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen get their big break in ‘Leviticus’

In a Christian fundamentalist town, a religious ceremony is performed. It initially resembles an exorcism but instead of expelling a devil, it puts a hex on anyone who’s homosexual.

Adrian Chiarella on LGBTQ+ community's attraction to horror and 'Leviticus'

Like many a queer kid, Adrian Chiarella grew up watching scary movies and identifying with them. Now, he has written and directed his own horror feature. His made-in-Australia film “Leviticus” opens around the country this week. It’s about the romance between teenagers Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) in a conservative small town. A religious rite that’s meant to heal them instead creates a deadly entity that takes the shape of who its v…

Interview: Joe Bird and Adrian Chiarella Talk Leviticus

When horror gets bold, it is usually intriguing. And yes, Leviticus is absolutely bold. The new horror feature tells the story of Naim and Ryan (played by Joe Bird and Stacy Clauson). The two teenagers find themselves falling for each other. However, it’s not only dangerous for the two to keep their intimate moments hidden. But what’s worse is that something sinister is attempting to destroy them. As their relationship struggles, the evil force …

“Leviticus” Writer/Director Adrian Chiarella Reimagines Exorcism as a Weapon of Queer Erasure

June, the symbolic start of Gay Pride in the U.S., is upon us, and so is the release of Neon’s gay-themed horror film Leviticus in major markets (premieres on June 19). The film is the brainchild of Australian writer/director Adrian Chiarella and is co-produced by Causeway Films, the outfit behind Australian-import horror classics The Babadook and Talk to Me. The timing resonates. “In Australia—and I guess over here in the U.S.—we sort of saw th…

Joe Bird On How ‘Leviticus’ Director Adrian Chiarella Fostered A “Vulnerable” Bond Between His Two Leads

Some Sundance world premieres feel like they take ages to hit theaters. In an ideal world, you’d hope they would come out within weeks of the festival. But six months after Sundance said goodbye to Park City and four other premieres later, Adrian Chiarella’s critically acclaimed supernatural romantic thriller “Leviticus” is finally dropping in U.S. theaters. And co-lead Joe Bird is no stranger to the hype. READ MORE: “Leviticus” Review: Spirit-F…