Full Breakdown
“Wekiwa” Brings a 1983 Florida Island Thriller to the Screen
8/21/2026, 12:56:09 AM
Film Announcement and Premise
Oscar-winning sound veteran Richard L. Anderson is writing and directing *Wekiwa*, an original creature-feature set in the summer of 1983. The story follows a showman who has invested his fortune in a Florida island resort warned against by the Seminole for three centuries. A British documentary director, four young performers, and a county marine biologist arrive to film a commercial and investigate the lagoon’s mystery, only to discover a deadly secret by Sunday.
Production Team and Cast
The ensemble includes Billy Zane (known for *Titanic*), Kevin Chapman (*Person of Interest*), and C.S. Lee (*Dexter*) alongside newcomer Xhaania Wright, Caroline Jane West, Oliver Wyman and Ty Neckar. Alex Trumble portrays the island’s showman. The film is produced by Salomé Breziner and Scott Rosenfelt, whose credits span *Home Alone*, *Mystic Pizza*, and *Teen Wolf*. Anderson’s résumé features Academy Awards for sound on *Raiders of the Lost Ark* and nominations for *Poltergeist* and *Daylight*, plus an Emmy for *Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories*.
Filming Schedule and Setting
Principal photography is slated to begin at the start of September in the Orlando area, utilizing the region’s waterways to recreate the 1983 island environment. The production aims to capture the period’s aesthetic while emphasizing the film’s aquatic tension.
Official Statements & Responses
Scott Rosenfelt highlighted Anderson’s four-decade career of shaping audience expectations through sound, noting that this instinct permeates *Wekiwa*. Both producers emphasized the blend of nostalgic setting and suspenseful creature-feature elements.
Verbatim Quote
- “We wanted the kind of film that sends an audience out grinning and a little afraid of the water,” — Deadline Salomé Breziner
