The Skinwalker Ranch to Open Theatrically and on VOD in October

Steve Barton   |  

Aug 15, 2013

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Just the mention of the name “Skinwalker Ranch” is enough to send chills down the spines of UFO and paranormal enthusiasts everywhere. So the question beckons… can a movie detailing the location’s strange occurrences do the same?

THR is reporting that Utah-based production company Deep Studios will release Devin McGinn’s supernatural thriller Skinwalker Ranch through its new domestic distribution arm both theatrically and on VOD on October 30th.

According to local legend, Skinwalker Ranch, located in northeast Utah, is allegedly the site of unexplainable paranormal and UFO-related activities. In the film, which uses a found-footage style, a research team investigates the supernatural phenomena surrounding the disappearance of a cattle rancher’s 10-year-old son.

For those of you unfamiliar with how the Skinwalker Ranch became so infamous…

Claims about the ranch first appeared in the Salt Lake City, Utah, Deseret News and later in the alternative weekly Las Vegas Mercury as a series of articles by journalist George Knapp. Knapp and co-author Colm Kelleher subsequently authored a book in which they describe the ranch being acquired by the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDSci) to study anecdotal sightings of UFOs, Bigfoot-like creatures, crop circles, glowing orbs, and poltergeist activity reported by its former owners.

The ranch, located in west Uintah County bordering the Ute Indian Reservation, was popularly dubbed the “UFO ranch” due to its ostensible 50-year history of odd events said to have taken place there. According to Kelleher and Knapp, they saw or investigated evidence of close to 100 incidents that include vanishing and mutilated cattle, sightings of unidentified flying objects or orbs, large animals with piercing yellow eyes that they say were not injured when struck by bullets, and invisible objects emitting destructive magnetic fields. Among those involved were retired Army Colonel John B. Alexander, who characterized the NIDSci effort as an attempt to get hard data using a “standard scientific approach”. However, the investigators admitted to “difficulty obtaining evidence consistent with scientific publication.” Cattle mutilations have been part of the folklore of the surrounding area for decades, but NIDSci founder Robert Bigelow’s purchase of the ranch and investigation funding were reportedly the result of his being convinced by stories of mutilations that included tales of strange lights and unusual impressions made in grass and soil told by the family of former ranch owner Terry Sherman.

McGinn stars in the film and also makes his directorial debut. He also produced alongside Murphy Michaels and executive producer and Deep Studios founder Ken Bretschneider. The film was written by Adam Ohler and also stars Jon Gries, Kyle Davis, Erin Cahill, Matthew Rocheleau, and Steve Berg.

Deep Studios will release the film day-and-date in theaters and VOD in more than 20 markets across the country, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami, Dallas, and Houston, with a DVD to follow.