The Activated Man
| The Activated Man | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Directed by | Nicholas Gyeney |
| Written by | Nicholas Gyeney |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | William Hellmuth |
| Edited by | Chad Eade |
| Music by | Cesar Beitia |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Stonecutter Media |
Release dates |
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Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $28,743[1] |
The Activated Man is a 2023 American psychological horror film directed and written by Nicholas Gyeney and starring Tony Todd, Andrew Keegan, Sab Shimono, Vladimir Kulich, Sean Young and Kane Hodder.[2] The film follows Ors Gabriel (Jamie Costa), a man who has multiple hallucinations after his dog dies due to cancer.
The Activated Man premiered at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival on November 2, 2023, and received a limited theatrical release on December 13, 2024.
Premise
After Ors loses his pet dog to cancer, the trauma produces strange visions that force him to consider two possibilities: that the visions are real or simply just imaginary.
Cast
- Tony Todd as Jeffrey Bowman
- Jamie Costa as Ors Gabriel
- Ivana Rojas as Sarah Reeve
- Andrew Keegan as Kit Waller
- Sab Shimono as Mr. Hideyoshi
- Sonia Jackson as The Nurse
- Vladimir Kulich as Wendigo
- Scott Brown as The Fedora Man
- Sean Young as Agnes Gabriel
- Kane Hodder as Laszlo Gabriel
- Takayo Fischer as Mrs. Hideyoshi
Production
The Activated Man featured Tony Todd's final leading role in a theatrical release, before his death in November 2024.[3]
Release
In October 2024, Stonecutter Media acquired North American distribution rights for the film, giving it a limited theatrical release on December 13, 2024, while also simultaneously releasing the film on demand.[4][5][6]
Reception
Box office
The Activated Man was released in 13 theaters during its opening weekend, grossing $13,182 and ranking 39th at the box office during the weekend of December 13–15.[7]
Critical response
Michael Talbot-Haynes of Film Threat gave the film a highly positive review, praising its "slick, functional style that maintains focus."[8]
A review at Pop Horror concluded, "It’s a nice-looking film: a polished effort with some nice visual FX and an effective musical score. The cast is solid, the high point, really, and the villain is memorable. For all it has going for it, however, the whole for me did not equal the sum of its parts."[9]
Mary Cusak for City Pulse, in another mixed review, praised Todd's performance.[10]
References
- ^ "The Activated Man". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (October 21, 2024). "Nicholas Gyeney's Supernatural Thriller 'The Activated Man,' Starring Tony Todd, Sean Young, Sets Theatrical Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ^ "VIDEO: Independent Horror Film Debuting in Salina". KSAL.com. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ "Nicholas Gyeney's Supernatural Thriller 'The Activated Man,' Starring Tony Todd, Sean Young, Sets Theatrical Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ "'The Activated Man' – Tony Todd Battles the Fedora Man This December [Trailer]". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ "Tony Todd Invokes The Spirit Of The Dead In Exclusive THE ACTIVATED MAN Trailer". Fangoria. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ "Domestic 2024 Weekend 50". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ "The Activated Man". Film Threat. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ Hoekstra, Kenn (December 11, 2023). "Horror Icons, Activate! 'THE ACTIVATED MAN' (2023) – Review". PopHorror. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ^ ""The Activated Man"". City Pulse. April 12, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2025.