Christopher Walken, Ella Ballentine and Jane Curtin Star in Dark Comedy Back In Black Filmed in Toronto
Oscar-winning legend Christopher Walken is returning to the big screen in a new dark comedy titled Back In Black, joined by Ella Ballentine (The Monster) and Emmy winner Jane Curtin (3rd Rock From The Sun). The film, now wrapped after shooting in Toronto, Canada, comes from director Ron Murphy, best known for Trailer Park Boys.
The movie’s story unfolds in a small American town where death has become obsolete. According to the official synopsis, “the wellness craze has gone too far – with everyone juicing, meditating and bio-hacking their way to immortality.” In this bizarre world of endless life, funeral director Clyde, played by Walken, is struggling to keep his business alive while no one around him is dying. His devoted granddaughter Sam, played by Ballentine, decides to take matters into her own hands — and suddenly, “the business of dying gets a new lease of life.”
Back In Black has been described as a sharp and humorous take on modern wellness culture. Embankment Films is handling worldwide sales, launching the project at the American Film Market (AFM), one of the most important film industry events for international distribution. In Canada, the film will be distributed by VVS Films, signaling an early start to its release rollout before it reaches other territories.
The film’s screenplay was co-written by Ron Murphy and Nick Torokvei, combining Murphy’s dark comedic sensibility with Torokvei’s flair for biting satire. It is produced by William Woods, Maddy Falle, Liz Levine, and Ron Murphy, with Taylor Thomson, Peter Thomson, and Chris Henchy serving as executive producers. The production wrapped quietly, avoiding the usual press noise, before debuting its first look this week through Embankment’s promotional materials.
At 82 years old, Walken continues to prove his unmatched screen presence. The actor recently appeared in Dune: Part Two, as well as acclaimed TV series Severance and The Outlaws, but Back In Black marks only his second feature film in the past five years. His unique blend of humor, charm, and gravitas seems perfectly suited for the role of Clyde — a man surrounded by immortals and forced to confront the absurd side of life and death.
Speaking about the project, Hugo Grumbar, partner at Embankment Films, praised the script’s originality: “Ron and Nick’s script is laugh-out-loud funny and razor-sharp in its take on modern life. Christopher Walken brings it all to life with his inimitable wit and gravitas – it’s a role only he could play.”
Director Ron Murphy echoed that enthusiasm, describing the film as “an invitation for us to laugh at the worst parts of ourselves while celebrating the sweetness of our humanity.” He added that audiences will laugh, squirm, and maybe even recognize a little of themselves in these characters, capturing both the absurdity and warmth that define the film’s tone.
No official release date has been announced yet, but with the film wrapped and sales beginning at AFM, fans can expect more updates soon. To stay updated on Embankment’s upcoming slate, you can visit Embankment Films’ official website.
Back In Black is shaping up to be a sharp, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt look at how far people will go to avoid death — and how one funeral director might just bring it back to life.
