Witches, demons, and the fiery wrath of the underworld stand between a brave knight and the soul of the Chosen One he seeks to rescue in the new movie A Knight's War, which comes to limited theaters beginning today and is on digital February 11th from DREAD. Daily Dead had the chance to catch up with writer/director Matt Ninaber (who is also a producer and co-star in the film) to discuss the DIY approach to making A Knight's War a reality, including coming up with the idea back in high school, swapping a sword for a paint brush to create the sets in between filming, collaborating with his brother Jeremy (who plays the lead role of Bhodie), and filming in his backyard as the neighbours watched their ambitious medieval fantasy come to life!
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us, Matt, and congratulations on your new film A Knight’s War, which follows a medieval warrior on a daring and deadly rescue mission into the underworld. How did you initially come up with the idea for this movie?
Matt Ninaber: Thanks so much for having me. I’ve been dreaming about this movie since I was in high school. A lot of it was inspired by the Book of Enoch and how angels originally were helpers to men but then decided to be gods over them. I felt that was such a fascinating turn of events, where the mentor turns into the villain. Throughout history, every culture has gods that demand mass sacrifices. What would the consequence be for these angels to lead men so far astray? That’s where it came from.
From the practical and visual effects to the production design and costuming, A Knight’s War really immerses viewers in its fantasy horror world. What was it like working with your talented team behind the scenes to bring this medieval setting to life on screen?
Matt Ninaber: Truthfully, I don’t know what to say. Robyn, Darcie and Jeremy—we worked tirelessly to create a world from set deck to castles to wardrobe. I feel like we were slaves to this movie. Every breath, every conversation was, “How can we pull this off?” So thankful that my dad taught me how to build stuff. Jeremy and I would finish a scene, change, grab paint brushes and start extending the set because the next day, it was time to film in the other direction. It was so intense that I almost don’t remember it.
A Knight’s War stars your brother Jeremy, who also starred in your previous film Death Valley. What do you enjoy the most about collaborating with your brother both in front of and behind the camera? Have you developed a creative shorthand with each other over time?
Matt Ninaber: We resort to ape calls and grunts. Haha—just half kidding. I don’t know anyone who could do what Jeremy does. I couldn’t imagine doing a movie like this without him. I love going back and forth, talking about the scene, talking about the world... he has such a love for the lore that makes it so fun to create with him.
Where did filming for A Knight’s War take place, and how many days were in your shooting schedule?
Matt Ninaber: We had 30 full crew days of shooting, and then there were 12 days of inserts and pickups—filming miniatures and going to the Rockies. Other than the exteriors, the sets were built in my backyard and at my brother's garage. We live on the same block, so whoever’s set looked nicer, we would end up walking there for the day to shoot. Our neighbours had no idea what was going on. It looked like an epic Dungeons and Dragons quest was taking place.
Looking back at your time on set, is there a favorite or memorable moment that stands out?
Matt Ninaber: The first night of filming, the paint was still drying. We had built a set in the backyard—everybody thought I was crazy because I said we were making a medieval movie. The neighbours were all watching. The scene is when Bhodie wakes up at the fire from his dream. Out of nowhere, a light dusting of snow started falling. I got to film a scene with my brother AND my middle son. This was the night that I was like, “This might actually work.” That was a fun night.
Do you have any favorite sword-and-sorcery films, TV shows, books, comics, or video games that influenced or inspired you while making A Knight’s War?
Matt Ninaber: As a kid, I loved Conan the Barbarian, Willow; there was a Mortal Kombat: Conquest TV show. First Knight with Sean Connery, Robin Hood with Kevin Costner. So many video games—Age of Empires and Lords of the Realm made me fall in love with castles. Lord of the Rings is obvious. During pre-production, I was playing Elder Scrolls a lot.
What has it been like to work with the team at Epic Pictures’ DREAD label as you prepare to release A Knight’s War in the United States?
Matt Ninaber: I love DREAD, Epic, Yulissa, Matt and Patrick. Here’s the thing. I have pitched making a medieval fantasy movie to a lot of people. Most people thought I was crazy, which I am, but Patrick is the only one who said, Sure, why not?" Most people wouldn’t even return my calls. So, I have a deep love and appreciation for those guys.
Ultimately, what do you hope viewers take away from A Knight’s War?
Matt Ninaber: There are two stories: 1. The making of the movie. I hope people are inspired to create those weird stories that are in their head. I have been dreaming about this since I was a kid. This is my dream, and 20 years in and I am getting to do it. 2. I hope they love the story and get caught up in the world we created. We have more stories to tell and I am hoping people love this enough that we can keep going.
Do you have any plans to make a sequel to A Knight’s War if the opportunity came about?
Matt Ninaber: YES. YES. YES. Like I said, I have a whole world I want to create. I think there’s so many places we can go with this and I hope I can convince Patrick to say yes. I left his number at the bottom if you want to leave him a voicemail.
In addition to your directing work, horror fans also know you from your role as the beloved Psycho Goreman in Steven Kostanski’s film of the same name. What do you remember the most fondly from your time playing that character, and would you be open to reprising your role as Psycho Goreman if a sequel were to be made?
Matt Ninaber: I have no fond memories of Psycho Goreman. Haha. That suit opened my eyes to what was possible with a little bit of latex, monster goo, and black eyeliner. Psycho Goreman is one of my favourite characters because he is genuinely learning about what love is. Like T-1000 he is a foreign entity who discovers human feelings for the first time, and that's what drew me to him and what I still love about him. Would I play him again? ...Only if Steve doesn’t replace my voice again. (Yes, still holding a grudge.)
With A Knight’s War now in theaters and coming to VOD on February 11th in the US (followed by a Canadian release in the spring of 2025 via Black Fawn Distribution), do you have any other projects coming up that you can tease for our readers?
Matt Ninaber: We aren’t done in the medieval world and we are for sure not done with monsters. We just wrapped up a murder mystery (haven’t picked a title), and we partnered up with Latefox to make a slasher called Death Cycle which is going to festivals this spring.
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From the Press Release: Epic Pictures’ specialty horror label DREAD presents A KNIGHT’S WAR. The film follows Bhodie, a knight of dubious birth but unwavering loyalty, tasked with a perilous mission: to journey into the dangerous realm of the fallen and retrieve the corrupted soul of the chosen one. A KNIGHT’S WAR will have a limited theatrical run beginning February 7, and on February 11 the film will be available to rent or purchase on video-on-demand (VOD). Black Fawn Distribution has also acquired the Canadian rights to A KNIGHT'S WAR with a theatrical and home video release in Canada slated for spring 2025.
“A KNIGHT’S WAR is a testament to what can be achieved with passion, creativity, and an incredible team. This film holds a special place in my heart because of the sheer determination and effort that went into every aspect of its creation.” says director Matt Ninaber. “The grit and love that went into this film are undeniable when you see it on screen.”
A KNIGHT’S WAR was co-financed by Epic Pictures as a DREAD original, in association with High Rise Studio and is executive produced by Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald.
A KNIGHT’S WAR is the fourth collaboration from the Ninaber brothers – director Matt Ninaber and star Jeremy Ninaber. Director Matt Ninaber, best known for playing the titular role in Psycho Goreman and his directorial endeavor Death Valley, partially shot A KNIGHT’S WAR in his own backyard. All sets for the film were built by hand.
“A KNIGHT’S WAR is an exciting blend of horror and medieval storytelling that we’re proud to have co-financed and can’t wait for audiences to experience.” says Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald. “Horror fans will appreciate how director Matthew Ninaber masterfully brings this dark, underworld journey to life. This marks our third collaboration with Epic, and it’s been an absolute privilege to partner with such incredible talent once again.”
The official synopsis for the film reads: A fearless knight braves a deadly realm to save the Chosen One’s soul. Facing witches, demons, and brutal foes, he discovers her return could ignite chaos and doom humanity.
A KNIGHT’S WAR is written and directed by Matthew Ninaber (Death Valley, Transference, Extraction Day). Starring Jeremy Ninaber (Transference, Best Friend from Heaven, Forest Fairies), Matthew Ninaber (Psycho Goreman, Transference, Disasters at Sea), Kristen Kaster (Death Valley, If I Should Die).
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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