Political Thriller 'PH-1' Gets April Release Date From Buffalo 8

Mar 9, 2026 10:30am PT Buffalo 8 Sets Political Thriller ‘PH-1’ for April Release (EXCLUSIVE) By Angelique Jackson Plus Icon Angelique Jackson angelique814 Latest ‘Monsters Inc. 3’ in the Works at Pixar; New Originals Include ‘Ono Ghost Market’ and the Studio’s First Musical 3 days ago Disney’s ‘Robin Hood’ Remake Not Moving Forward, Director Carlos López Estrada Reveals 3 days ago S. Epatha Merkerson, Danielle Brooks to Be Honored at Black Women Film Network Summit (EXCLUSIVE) 4 days ago See All Courtesy of Other Angle Buffalo 8 has set “PH-1,” a tech-driven political thriller directed by and starring Mark Kassen, for theatrical release on April 10. In the film, Kassen stars as a politician with a promising future who, a synopsis of the movie explains, is “held hostage by an unseen captor and forced to watch his reputation collapse in real time as social and traditional media weaponize speculation, spin and viral outrage. As his public identity unravels, he races to uncover who is orchestrating the attack, and why.” The action takes place in the politician’s luxury penthouse over the course of one harrowing night, hence the title. And while political in setting, “PH-1” is primarily a narrative about the media, namely how truth, misinformation, and the speed at which manipulated narratives can destroy a life. Related Stories Robert Duvall, Star of 'The Godfather' and 'The Great Santini,' Dies at 95 Jennifer Runyon, 'Ghostbusters' and 'Charles in Charge' Actress, Dies at 65 Abubakar Salim, Dina Shihabi, Vinessa Shaw and Jesse L. Martin round out the ensemble cast for the film, which will open April 10 for a limited run across Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., followed by a North American digital release on major platforms beginning May 8. (Apple and Fandango at Home pre-orders begin April 10.) Popular on Variety Buffalo 8, the Santa Monica-based film and media company, picked up the domestic rights to the film at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Kassen directed the movie from a script he co-wrote with Cheryl Guerriero and he also produced alongside Iliana Nikolic under his production banner Like Minded Entertainment, with Julian West executive producing. The actor-turned-filmmaker previously directed “Puncture” starring Chris Evans, and “Bernard and Doris” starring Ralph Fiennes and Susan Sarandon for HBO, as well as producing Evans’ “Before We Go.” Kassen is also co-founder of the bipartisan civic platform A Starting Point alongside Evans. Watch the trailer for “PH-1” below: Jump to Comments YouTube Star Zhong Signs Ad Sales and Content Protection Pact With Studio71 JavaScript is required to load the comments. Loading comments...