THE PASSENGER Exclusive: Our First Look at David M. Parks' Psychological Thriller, Starring Leanne Bauer, Haulston Mann, & Nathaniel Britton

Set in the late 1970s, the film follows two strangers forced into an uneasy alliance after a chance encounter on a deserted highway. As they share a long night on the road, shifting stories, buried secrets, and competing agendas make it increasingly unclear who is in control and who is in danger.

Principal photography has officially wrapped in Los Angeles on THE PASSENGER, a new psychological thriller from director David M. Parks (Static Codes, Deadly Desire, Blackout) and writer Keith Makenas. Produced by Vista Films. Produced by Vista Films, OhSeek Productions, and Rad Cine Films, the film serves as the first feature release in the partners’ new 2026 slate of indie genre releases.

 

The Passenger stars LeeAnne Bauer (When It Rains in LA, Dark Chronicles), Haulston Mann (How to Start a Cult in 5-Easy Steps, Law & Order: SVU), and Nathaniel Britton (The Pitt, Minx). Joy Goodrich, Vu Mai, Kevin Blakeley, Cardon Ellis, and Domenico Pugliese round out the ensemble.

 

Set in the late 1970s, the film follows two strangers forced into an uneasy alliance after a chance encounter on a deserted highway. As they share a long night on the road, shifting stories, buried secrets, and competing agendas make it increasingly unclear who is in control and who is in danger.

 

"The 1970’s aesthetic gave us permission to embrace imperfection – grain, harsh sunlight, uneasy zooms,” says director Davis M. Parks. “But we also layered in a chaotic, fractured visual language inspired by Natural Born Killers. The leads move through that world like two people caught between reality and hallucination. That tension is the film’s heartbeat."

 

Parks directs The Passenger following his sci-fi thriller Static Codes, starring Taryn Manning, and recently completed post-apocalyptic action thriller Blackout, starring Twana Barnett, Mike Ferguson and LeeAnne Bauer. In addition to his directing work, Parks’ projects as a filmmaker and cinematographer have been released across major studios including Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Lifetime, Netflix, and SyFy.

 

Vista Film Sales has boarded worldwide sales for The Passenger, with a planned limited theatrical and digital release in the third quarter of 2026.

 

Bauer is repped by Bedford Artists Management, Mann is repped by Exclusive Artists Agency and Egg Hunt Entertainment, and Britton is repped by DreamScope Talent Management.