‘Good Boy’ Comes to Digital Platforms

Vertigo Releasing has expanded its November digital slate with Good Boy, now available across major VOD platforms following its successful UK and Irish theatrical run. The supernatural thriller, directed by Ben Leonberg, has already become one of the year’s most talked-about independent horror releases thanks to its unusual choice of protagonist: a loyal dog named Indy who becomes the first line of defence against a sinister presence.

The film centres on Indy and his owner Todd, played by Shane Jensen, as they leave the city for an inherited country property. What should be a quiet new beginning quickly falters when Indy becomes attuned to an unseen threat embedded within the house. From spectral apparitions to warnings seemingly delivered by the ghost of a long-dead canine, the story frames its tension from ground level, following Indy as he pieces together a danger that Todd is increasingly unable to resist. As the forces within the house draw Todd deeper into their orbit, Indy’s determination to protect him forms the emotional core of the film.

Good Boy has enjoyed an unusually strong festival trajectory for such an offbeat concept. It premiered at SXSW in March, screened at the Overlook Film Festival, Calgary Underground Film Festival and Fantasia, and went on to secure a wide theatrical release in North America after its trailer became the most widely circulated in IFC’s history. Shudder subsequently acquired international streaming rights, with the film set to debut on the service on 21 November. In the UK and Ireland, it reached cinemas on 10 October before landing on digital platforms two weeks later.

Leonberg developed the film with co-writers Alex Cannon and Arielle Friedman, drawing from the director’s history of high-concept shorts. His collaboration with producer Kari Fischer, who also co-owns Indy, has been widely noted, with the film’s emotional weight hinging on the dog’s surprisingly expressive performance. The pair’s long-standing creative partnership has helped shape a film that balances genre ambition with a grounded portrayal of companionship.

Supporting roles include genre veteran Larry Fessenden, whose presence reinforces the film’s indie-horror credentials. His involvement complements Good Boy’s blend of domestic unease and supernatural threat, a combination that has already prompted significant online discussion. The ending in particular has driven speculation, with fans dissecting clues about Indy’s fate, underscoring the potent effect animal-centred peril can have on audiences.

Now available on Amazon, Apple TV, Sky Store, Rakuten, YouTube Movies, Curzon Home Cinema and Virgin Media, Good Boy catch it now if you want to watch a film that’s out of the ordinary.

Good Boy trailer