Originally slated for a limited theatrical release followed by a digital on-demand debut, Good Boy has shifted strategies thanks to the overwhelming buzz surrounding its first trailer.
After racking up over a million views in a short span and generating a flood of social media chatter, much of it centered on whether the dog makes it out alive, IFC has decided to roll the dice on a wide release. The studio now believes it may be sitting on an unexpected indie breakout.
Per IndieWire, searches for “Does the dog in Good Boy die?” spiked by more than 2,000 percent.
Scott Shooman, head of IFC Entertainment Group told the site, "We’re a bespoke company and we really pay attention to what people want to see. Last year was our second-best theatrical year ever and we want to continue that. We see an opportunity as the studios are moving to three- and four-quadrant business for the indies to try and find interesting, noisy product and try to make it as big as possible.”
He went on to state, "We have different windows for different types of films, and we’re working on that for ‘Good Boy’ as we speak. We never want to pre-announce a date prematurely. What we can say is we hope everyone sees it in theaters on October 3rd, and that’s really where we’re pointing people right now.”
Arriving in theaters on October 3, 2025, Good Boy reinvents the haunted house genre by unfolding the terror from a dog’s point of view. Co-written by Ben Leonberg and Alex Cannon, the film’s distinctive perspective is what makes it stand out in an increasingly crowded horror market.
The trailer, which you can check out below, teases just how unique and unsettling this approach will be.
After losing a loved one, Todd (Shane Jensen) moves into his late grandfather’s (Larry Fessenden) creaky old farmhouse, hoping for a fresh start. Locals whisper that the place is haunted, but Todd shrugs off the rumors. His dog, Indy, isn’t so easily convinced. Almost immediately, Indy begins noticing unsettling, otherworldly figures lurking in the shadows, phantoms invisible to Todd but terrifyingly real to him.
Trapped by his inability to warn his owner, Indy is forced to face the sinister entities alone, piecing together their dark intentions before it’s too late. As the ghostly presence grows more violent, Indy’s unshakable loyalty drives him into a harrowing fight to shield Todd, proving that sometimes the bravest protector isn’t human at all.
The cast brings together a mix of seasoned talent and fresh faces, with Larry Fessenden, Arielle Friedman, Shane Jensen, and Stuart Rudin all set to appear. Stealing the spotlight, however, is director Ben Leonberg’s own dog, Indy, who takes on the titular role.
Clocking in at just 72 minutes, the film makes the most of its lean runtime, with on-location shooting in upstate New York adding a chilling sense of realism to its atmosphere.
Following its premiere at SXSW, the movie is off to a strong start critically, boasting a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from the first 20 reviews, an impressive showing for a supernatural horror story filtered through the eyes of a dog.