New Zealand Horror Mother Knows Best Wraps Production

Apr 30, 2026 6:00am PT Frankie Adams, Keisha Castle-Hughes and Rhona Mitra Star in New Zealand Horror ‘Mother Knows Best,’ Essential Film Launching Sales (EXCLUSIVE) By Alex Ritman Plus Icon Alex Ritman @alexritman Latest Green Day Coming-of-Age Comedy ‘Nimrods’ Starring Mckenna Grace Heading to Cannes Market With Palisades Park (EXCLUSIVE) 5 hours ago Jack Lowden Plays a Right-Wing, Anti-Immigration Politician in ‘Vote Gavin Lyle,’ Aneil Karia’s Satirical Short About U.K. Politics (EXCLUSIVE) 5 hours ago Tessa Thompson, Owen Cooper and Ebon Moss-Bachrach to Star in Thriller ‘Foxfinder’ From ‘Severance’ Director Aoife McArdle 22 hours ago See All Dean O’Gorman, Andi Crown, Michael Shelford Horror thriller “Mother Knows Best” has recently wrapped production in Auckland, New Zealand after shooting under the radar, with Frankie Adams (“The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart,” “The Wrecking Crew”) leading the cast. Rhona Mitra (“The Last Ship,” “Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans”) and Keisha Castle-Hughes (“Whale Rider,” “Game Of Thrones”) also star. From director Kiel McNaughton (“The Legend of Baron To’a”) based on a screenplay by John Argall, the film was produced by Kerry Warkia (“Waru,” “Vai”). Essential Film Group has now boarded international sales ahead of Cannes. Related Stories 'Scooby-Doo: Origins' First Look: Netflix Series Reveals Mystery Inc. Crew, Including Mckenna Grace as Daphne 'Rooster' Renewed for Season 2 at HBO “Mother Knows Best” follows Talia (Adams), who, after surviving a near fatal encounter in the Pacific, gives birth to a premature daughter whose existence appears tied to an ancient prophecy. Talia travels to the remote New Zealand estate of her partner’s powerful and secretive family, but what begins as an uneasy Christmas reunion quickly reveals itself to be something far more disturbing. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a terrifying connection between her daughter, a forgotten Pacific mythology and a sinister order that will stop at nothing to reclaim what they believe belongs to them. She must fight to protect her child before the family closes in and the truth behind the prophecy is finally revealed. Popular on Variety The ensemble cast also features a strong lineup of Māori and Pacific actors, including Jayden Daniels (“Evil Dead Rise”), Ariāna Osborne (“Mārama”), James Rolleston (“Boy,” “Uproar”), Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (“Predator: Badlands”), Vinnie Bennett (“Fast & Furious 9”), Kawakawa Fox-Reo (“Primitive War”), and Eve Palmer (“Good Grief,” “Animal Control”). “’Mother Knows Best’ aims to push the boundaries of New Zealand genre filmmaking,” said McNaughton. “It sits at the intersection of psychological horror and cultural myth, and it’s being brought to life by an extraordinary cast. Frankie Adams anchors the film with a powerful performance, and an incredible group of Māori and Pacific actors makes this project very special.” The film is supported with production funding from the New Zealand Film Commission. Distribution in Australia and New Zealand will be handled by Umbrella Entertainment. Essential Film Group also provided finance, while additional support was provided by Pacific Islanders in Communications. Jump to Comments ‘Beyond the Gates’ Renewed for Two More Seasons at CBS Matt LeBlanc Cop Drama ‘Flint’ in Development at CBS Versant Says 2025 Profit Fell, Citing Revenue Dips in Advertising, Distribution ‘Access Hollywood,’ ‘Karamo,’ ‘The Steve Wilkos Show’ Canceled as NBCUniversal Pulls the Plug on First-Run Syndication Jez Butterworth Sets Five Year Film and TV Deal with Universal Entertainment Comcast Names Vicki Williams Human Resources Chief, Leading HR Across NBCUniversal and Cable Businesses JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...