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Director Lee Cronin first caught my eye with his short film Ghost Train - which I highly recommend watching right here. Ever since I first watched that, I've wanted to see Cronin jump into feature filmmaking, specifically to make a feature-length version of Ghost Train. While that hasn't happened yet, things couldn't have panned out much better for him because not only is his feature directorial debut, The Hole in the Ground, very impressive but during our chat at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Cronin also teased he really is working on a Ghost Train feature!

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Image via A24

But before I get too carried away with that, The Hole in the Ground stars Seána Kerslake as Sarah, a single mother who's eager to make a fresh start for her young son Chris (James Quinn Markey). The two move into a new home and everything seems fine until Sarah discovers there's a gigantic sink hole practically right in their backyard. One night Chris vanishes but then Sarah finds him home sweet home, seemingly unharmed. But soon thereafter, Sarah starts to suspect that her son isn't quite himself anymore.

While celebrating the world premiere of The Hole in the Ground in Park City, Cronin, Kerslake and Markey all came into the Collider Studio at Sundance to talk about their experience making the movie, the status of that Ghost Train feature, the trio plays a little Sundance-themed "Would You Rather," and loads more! I highly recommend checking out The Hole in the Ground when it's made available on DIRECTV starting January 31st or when it hits theaters on March 1st. And if you need more convincing, you can check out my review of the film right here.

You can give the full interview a watch using the video player at the top of this article. You can also find a full breakdown of the conversation and the Hole in the Ground trailer below.

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Image via Kia Motors

Finally, I'd like to give special thanks to our Collider Studio partner, the all new 2020 Kia Telluride, who was transporting celebrities to our studio and debuting their all new Telluride, Kia’s first eight-passenger SUV that is several inches longer and wider than the brand’s award-winning Sorento.

Libations flowing at the Collider studio and parties were provided by LIFEWTR, Tequila Comisario, Sensi Tuscany Wines, Blue Moon Belgian White and Dragonfly Coffee Roasters. Food during the evening parties was provided by Greene St. Kitchen of Palms Casino Resort helmed by Chef Du Cuisine Lanny Chin. Brand partners also active during the day-part include mou, a luxury footwear and accessories line, and The Wild Immersion endorsed by Jane Goodall who was on-site with the world’s first ‘virtual reserve’.

Follow our behind the scenes on social media with #KiaSupperSuite.

Lee Cronin, Seána Kerslake, James Quinn Markey:

  • What it's like being at Sundance for the very time.
  • What is The Hole in the Ground about?
  • Why Cronin chose to make his feature directorial debut with this particular story.
  • The status of the Ghost Train feature.
  • How the cast came together.
  • Are Markey and Kerslake horror fans?
  • Cronin on the size of the production and shooting on location.
  • Designing the sink hole.
  • What it takes to shoot a scene with Kerslake running through the woods in the pitch black.
  • How Cronin created a helpful atmosphere for Kerslake on set.
  • Cronin on finding the right balance between maintaining some mystery but giving satisfying answers.
  • 10:35 - Would You Rather begins!

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Here's the official synopsis for The Hole in the Ground:

Sarah and her young son Chris move to a new home in the Irish countryside, next to a forest that hides an enormous sinkhole. One night, Chris vanishes, and when he reappears he seems unharmed and unchanged. But, as his behavior grows increasingly disturbing, Sarah begins to fear that the boy who has returned may not be her son at all. The feature debut from writer-director Lee Cronin, The Hole in the Ground weaves suspense, terror, and supernatural folklore into a richly evocative story about the primal fears of motherhood.

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Image via A24
the-hole-in-the-ground-image-seana-kerslake
Image via A24
the-hole-in-the-ground-james-quinn-markey
Image via A24
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Image via A24