The Woods - What We Know So Far

Film studio Rubber Tree Productions has revealed its next upcoming film, entitled "The Woods." The film has some notable actors, such as J.K. Simmons, and the details remain mysterious — so far, it appears that "The Woods" will be a tense thriller, or perhaps a slasher flick, starring Simmons in a surprisingly villainous role. Speaking on this uncharacteristic turn, Simmons explained that his kids being all grown up was a key factor in him deciding to play a sociopath. "I didn't want to play any truly scary bad guys when our kids were young, partly because of how it might affect them if they saw the film and also because I didn't want to bring that energy home with me after an intense day on the set," he said (via Deadline).

Just what kind of murderous character will Simmons be playing? What we do know so far, from the few snippets of plot already revealed, hint at what could be a highly promising take on the horror genre. Otherwise, unfortunately, Rubber Tree Productions is keeping the most important details under wraps. It's clear that pre-production has been ongoing for some time now, and the film may be near the beginning of its filming and editing process. 

Let's look at what we know about "The Woods" so far, and see if it looks like it'll be worth the hype.

At the current moment, the creators of "The Woods" have not given a specific release date for the project. However, Rubber Tree Productions does list the film as releasing in 2022 on its official site. Furthermore, the amount of information the company has released on the film does align with that estimate. According to Deadline, the film's writers have already finished writing the screenplay, and three of the film's stars have already been revealed. This suggests that filming for the project will begin soon, if it hasn't already. As such, it seems as if Rubber Tree wasn't embellishing when it revealed a 2022 release window.

Until then, moviegoers who are following the production will have to exercise patience. It's also not clear how much more Rubber Tree will reveal about the film before its final release. In the meantime, though, the casting decisions so far are guaranteed to spur your interest.

So far, Rubber Tree Productions has revealed three cast members for its upcoming film. The most recognizable of this trio is J.K. Simmons, the man who won the hearts and minds of comic book fans through his portrayal of the wall-crawler hating newspaperman J. Jonah Jameson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, a part he recently revived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Simmons also played Commissioner Jim Gordon in Justice League, and more recently, he has also won acclaim for voicing the character of Omni-Man in the animated superhero series, "Invincible."

Simmons is joined by actor Allen Leech, who played Tom Branson in the historical drama series "Downton Abbey," and Chilean actress Fernanda Urrejola. At this time, it's unclear exactly what roles these three are supposed to play in "The Woods" — other than the fact that Simmons has implied he will be playing the film's serial killer villain — and the plot details announced so far don't give any indication of who the other actors may be playing.

Speaking of the film's plot: Rubber Tree Productions has only revealed a few minor details regarding the plot of "The Woods," so far, but the main plot concerns a traumatized young girl who — following some dark events in her past — somehow ends up the target of a woodland serial killer (presumably played by Simmons). For now, it's unclear how the girl ends up in this situation, or what her past entails. 

It seems unlikely that the central role has been cast yet: given that she is described as a "young girl," it's unlikely to be Fernanda Urrejola. However, all of these details have certainly been figured out behind the scenes: the screenplay was written by Michelle Schumacher and Carolyn Carpenter, and Schumacher is signed on to direct. It is likely that more details will be revealed closer to the film's release date, perhaps in the form of a trailer.