Trailer for Upcoming John Lithgow Thriller “The Rule of Jenny Penn” Makes Its Dark Debut

Who doesn’t love veteran character actor John Lithgow? This consummate thespian has knocked our collective socks off with a wide variety of roles over the course of his decades-long career: Who could forget his heartwarming turn alongside Robin Williams in The World According to Garp? Or how about his deft and masterful recreation of William Shatner’s harried passenger in Twilight Zone: The Movie? Or better yet, his Primetime Emmy Award for the 1986 vignette The Doll which appeared in another anthology (this one on television), Amazing Stories. Of course, he’s won loads of fans through other work, too, such as his comedic turn in Third Rock from the Sun and his mustachio-twirling and over-the-top bad guy in Sylvester Stallone’s Cliffhanger. But that role and the occasional Raising Cain performance to the side, most people when they used to think of John Lithgow usually thought of him as a more comedic actor, with some colors of other types of roles thrown in for good measure. And then came 2009 and the fourth season of Showtime’s hit series Dexter where Lithgow gave a whole new meaning to evil and depraved when he took on the part of Arthur Miller, a serial killer who butts heads with Michael C. Hall’s Dexter Morgan. Spoiler Alert: Things do not go well for Dexter.

It was that role as Arthur Miller in Dexter which enabled a lot more folks to see John Lithgow as something other than a comic foil or a nice guy. It garnered the actor some of the best notices of his career, as well as a mantle full of richly deserved awards from his peers and colleagues. Of course, that nigh career defining moment has left audiences since wanting even more of the ‘dark’ Lithgow. With the news today of an upcoming thriller set to star the Conclave star, it looks as if they got their wish.

From our Blow Out pals over at The Hollywood Reporter comes the news that the official trailer for the upcoming thriller The Rule of Jenny Pen has made its long-awaited debut, and lucky-ducky you, we’ve got it right here!

The Rule of Jenny Pen stars John Lithgow as a senior home care resident who plays a cruel game called – you guessed it! – ‘The Rule of Jenny Penn.’ This game is meant to strike fear in his fellow residents. Along the way, he directs his sadistic ire towards Geoffrey Rush, here playing a partially paralyzed judge who must fight to survive his fellow house mate’s tortures. Sounds like a fun night on the town, wot?

The new film is directed by James Ashcroft. Writing this demented struggle of cat-and-mouse is scribe Eli Kent, with an able-bodied assist from Ashcroft. The story proper is based off a short story from author Owen Marshall.

The Rule of Jenny Pen is set to terrorize moviegoers when it premieres this March 7 and then will head over to scare TV watchers on Shudder. Looks like another winner for John Lithgow!