- Source: Shiver (upcoming film)
Shiver is an upcoming American romantic fantasy film directed by Claire McCarthy and co-written by Jett Tattersall. It is based on the young adult novel of the same name by Maggie Stiefvater. It stars Maddie Ziegler, Levi Miller, Sofia Wylie, Iman Vellani, Lyon Daniels, Alexander Ludwig, Ross Butler, Alicia Witt, and Greg Kinnear.
Premise
Shiver begins against the backdrop of winter, with the character of Grace Brisbane at age 11, who has been pulled from her backyard tire swing by a pack of wolves. Saved from their attack by a yellow-eyed wolf, the 6 years following consist of Grace routinely watching the edge of the woods behind her house in search of her saviour – he returns her gaze every winter. The perspective of the novel alternates between Grace and the yellow-eyed werewolf, Samuel K. “Sam” Roth, who only transforms over the duration of winter and spends his summers working at a local bookstore. He is afraid that his days as a human are numbered, and every transformation could be his last.
The death of Jack Culpeper, a student at Grace's school, spreads terror throughout the small community of Mercy Falls, as it is suspected that he has been killed by the wolves. This leads to the decision to hunt them, with Grace's attempt to deter the shooters resulting in her discovery of Sam, except now in human form. Having been shot, he had unwillingly transformed into his human state, recognisable to Grace only from his eyes.
Sam is taken to the hospital by Grace, receiving surgery to remove the bullet. As the two are finally left alone in the recovery unit, Sam awakens from the anaesthetic much earlier than anticipated and recognises Grace. Sam explains to her that his healing abilities are a side-effect of being a werewolf, prompting them to escape before the doctors discover him awake and with no visible wound.
Grace invites Sam to stay at her house following these events, who reluctantly agrees to sleep in her room, as they decide to hide his presence from her parents. Back at school, Grace's close friend Olivia Marx reveals that a wolf had been sighted outside the school the day prior. Its description matches that of the suspected newly transformed werewolf, Jack Culpeper.
Sam attempts to convince Grace that she must also be a werewolf after having been attacked by the wolves as a child, despite never transforming. At school, Isabel Culpeper tells Grace that she has seen her brother alive in the woods. Jack had told her that Grace could explain how he was alive, but to protect the pack, Grace lies and implies Isabel has gone mad.
Sam drives to the home of his adoptive father, Geoffrey Beck, where the pack live together over the summer months. Upon arriving at the house, Sam finds Beck and a van containing three newly turned werewolves. Disgusted that Beck would deliberately put others through the pain of transforming, he leaves.
The day after meeting Grace's parents, Sam rushes downstairs in the early morning to the scene of Grace being pinned against the kitchen cupboards by Shelby, a werewolf. Sam attacks the wolf, saving his girlfriend, but gaining an injury himself in the process.
At school, Isabel shows Grace a stack of Olivia's photos containing two pictures of Jack, both as a wolf and as a human. Forced into revealing the pack's secrets, Grace invites Isabel over to her house, where she and Sam explain about the werewolves.
Sam finds Isabel and Jack in the woods, returning to the Culpeper mansion with them and discovering that Jack has been trying to find a cure to become human. Convinced that Grace had not transformed because of the existence of a cure, he decides to find her.
Waiting for Sam to pick her up from school, Grace climbs into her car before realising it is Jack behind the wheel. He tells her she must give him the cure to be human again, using Sam as leverage, who he has as hostage. Grace calls Beck, alerting him to the situation. The two arrive at Beck's house soon after.
Jack transforms into a wolf upon entering. Grace helps Beck to lock him in the bathroom, before calling Sam's mobile. He answers, saying he has been locked in a shed on the Culpeper's estate. Grace calls Isabel to help find him, as the temperature is about to drop and Sam could transform. Isabel eventually finds him and brings him inside, saving him from the cold.
Grace comes to the conclusion that nearly dying from heat stroke as a child cured her, as Isabel suggests that the same effect could be mirrored by injecting Sam and Jack with meningitis. After they infect the two boys, Sam transforms into a wolf, vanishing into the woods.
After not seeing Sam for months, Grace finally finds him appearing at the edge of the woods behind her house, shockingly in human form. They embrace.
Cast
Maddie Ziegler as Grace
Levi Miller as Sam
Sofia Wylie
Iman Vellani
Lyon Daniels
Alexander Ludwig
Ross Butler
Alicia Witt
Greg Kinnear
Jagen Johnson as Mr. Kaminski
Production
In March 2023, an adaptation of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater was in development, with Andy Fickman attached to direct, and Stiefvater serving as a consultant. By November 2024, Fickman had exited the project, with Claire McCarthy hired to direct and co-write the screenplay with Jett Tattersall. Maddie Ziegler, Levi Miller, Sofia Wylie, Iman Vellani, Lyon Daniels, Alexander Ludwig, Ross Butler, Alicia Witt, and Greg Kinnear joined the cast. Principal photography began on October 28, 2024, in Vancouver and wrapped on December 11.
References
External links
Shiver at IMDb