EXCLUSIVE: Filipino filmmaker Pedring Lopez (Netflix’s Maria, Nilalang) is set to direct The Ascendants, a psychological horror feature from Silent D Pictures.
The film will begin production in early 2026 in the UK, and stars Australian actors Cristian Lavin and John Jarratt and US-born Indonesian actress Chelsea Islan.
Lavin also penned the film’s screenplay. Additional casting for The Ascendants will be announced in the coming weeks.
The film follows a journalist who returns to her childhood mining town in search of her missing brother — only to uncover a cult, sacred rites, and a blood-soaked ancestral legacy.
Lopez is currently shooting his English-language debut feature, Shadow Transit, which stars UK-based singer-songwriter Qymira and Indonesian actor Yoshi Sudarso.
Principal photography is taking place in Manila, with several scenes shot in Hong Kong. The film will be presented to buyers at the American Film Market.
After The Ascendants, Lopez will direct and line produce action-horror Blood Passage, produced by GFM Film Sales and Evolution Pictures (UK), VeryTay Media (Singapore), Shaw Organisation (Singapore) and BlackOps Studios Asia (Philippines).
Blood Passage will be shot entirely in the Philippines, primarily on the remote islands of Camarines Sur.
Lopez was also showrunner and director of Filipino prison crime series Sellblock, executive produced and distributed globally by LA-based Blue Fox Entertainment.
“As a Filipino filmmaker making my crossover into international cinema, I’ve always been drawn to stories that wrestle with faith, trauma, and inherited myth,” said Lopez. “With The Ascendants, I’m bringing my Southeast Asian roots and cinematic language to a Western storyworld — one grounded in atmosphere, tension, and emotional truth. This is the kind of film that lets me explore universal fears through a very personal lens.”
Lavin added: “Pedring brings a rare mix of emotional insight and genre precision. He knows how to shape horror through performance, atmosphere, and meaning — not just effects.”
Djonny Chen, founder of Silent D Pictures, said: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Pedring. His work consistently blends bold vision with grounded humanity. The Ascendants is the kind of project that demands that — and he’s the right voice to deliver it.”