Paul Giamatti Enters Secret Society Nightmare in ‘Boutique’

Paul Giamatti is set to lead the cast of Boutique, a new mystery horror from XYZ Films that will shoot in the UK this summer. Written and directed by Jim Gavin, the project marks Gavin’s feature directorial debut and reunites him with Touchy Feely Films, the banner behind AMC’s cult series Lodge 49.

In Boutique, Giamatti plays Calvin, an American tourist who travels to a remote English seaside town in search of inspiration tied to his favourite reclusive author. Instead of literary pilgrimage, he finds himself drawn into a sinister web involving a murderous secret society that appears to permeate the entire community.

The film will be produced by Giamatti and Dan Carey through their company Touchy Feely Films, alongside James Harris and Mark Lane for Tea Shop Productions and Guy Danella for XYZ Films, which is also financing the project. Jacob Jaffke serves as executive producer. XYZ will handle world sales, with UTA co-repping domestic rights.

Giamatti’s attachment brings considerable weight to the project. The actor is widely regarded for performances in Sideways, American Splendor and the HBO miniseries John Adams, while his recent turn in The Holdovers earned him a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. On television, he has featured in Billions, the Paramount+ series Star Trek Starfleet Academy and an episode of Black Mirror, the latter garnering further awards recognition. He is also set to appear opposite Julianne Moore in an upcoming feature directed by Jesse Eisenberg.

For XYZ Films, Boutique continues a busy slate spanning genre and prestige fare. The company recently wrapped production on Banquet, directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia and starring Meghann Fahy, Corey Mylchreest and Alfie Williams, in collaboration with Tea Shop Productions. Upcoming releases include the SXSW-bound titles He Bled Neon and Kill Me, alongside projects such as Havoc, directed by Gareth Evans, and The Ritual, a true-story exorcism thriller starring Al Pacino and Dan Stevens.

While plot specifics for Boutique remain closely guarded, the pairing of Giamatti’s textured screen presence with Gavin’s offbeat sensibility suggests a genre entry that could balance dread with eccentricity. Production is scheduled to commence in the UK later this year, with further casting expected to be announced in the coming months.