Epic Pictures’ DREAD Label Sets Release Date for True Crime Thriller Ed Kemper
DREAD, L.A.-based distribution and financing company Epic Pictures’ specialty horror label, will be releasing the true crime horror thriller, ED KEMPER, in North America. Ed Kemper is the first installment of a gripping series of biographical true crime stories that Dread will be distributing, followed by Dorothea, Richard Ramirez and more. The film will be released in select theaters beginning April 4, 2025 and available for rent or purchase on video-on-demand April 8,2025. Ed Kemper was directed by Chad Ferrin (Pig Killer, H.P. Lovecraft’s the Old Ones), Ferrin also served as one of the film’s writers alongside Stephen Johnston (Ted Bundy, The Hillside Strangler). The film stars Lew Temple (The Walking Dead), Cassandra Gava (Conan the Barbarian), Robert Miano (Fast & Furious), Brinke Stevens (House on Haunted Hill), Susan Priver (Night Caller) and Brandon Kirk (Scalper).
Ed Kemper follows the horrifying true story of Ed Kemper, a cunning and sadistic serial killer shaped by childhood abuse, whose charming facade masked his grotesque obsession with murder, mutilation, and the ultimate act of revenge against the woman who scarred him most—his mother.
“Having three films releasing in 2025 is a watershed moment for me. And with two of those, Ed Kemper and Dorothea, in the capable hands of Epic Pictures their cinematic future couldn’t be brighter” says Chad Ferrin.
Stephen Johnston adds, “I originally envisioned Ed Kemper as having a sort of punk rock horror energy, and seeing that realized by Chad Ferrin’s sure-handed direction, deft performances from the cast, and the hard work of a great crew, and now learning the movie’s going to have its release through Epic Pictures has truly been magical. Sure, it’s a disturbing sort of magical, but that’s the best kind.”
“We’re beyond thrilled to unleash ED KEMPER, a bold and unnerving dive into the mind of one of history’s most infamous killers. True crime and horror are a potent, pulse-pounding combination, and with this film—and our upcoming slate at Dread—we’re crafting stories that are as smart as they are terrifying,” says Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald. “Brace yourself for an intense and unforgettable ride into the darkest corners of human nature.”
