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First introduced at Comic-Con Experience in São Paulo—the largest Comic-Con in the Americas—WARDEN generated strong early buzz and marks the feature film debut of Marcus Alqueres. No stranger to the superhero genre, Alqueres gained viral success with his short film THE FLYING MAN, which amassed over 25 million views, attracted major industry players, studios, and garnered widespread media coverage. WARDEN was produced on a shoestring budget, following the same independent approach--cost-effective production, bold storytelling, and uncompromised creative vision--that brought his short films critical and audience acclaim.
WARDEN explores the real-world impact of an ordinary kid who discovers he has superpowers and decides he can save his ailing city and further impact the lives of those forever changed by the rise of the world's first superhero. Unlike traditional superhero tales, WARDEN focuses on the effect of a superhero's presence on ordinary people as it portrays the diverse reactions of those who love him, those who sell their souls for him, those who fight against him, and those who seek the truth amidst the chaos. Presented in a faux documentary style, WARDEN connects the rise of superhero stories with their fantasies of solitary, righteous figures working outside the system to bring justice. It also examines how such characters might influence society.
WARDEN was developed by Lucasfilm veteran Steve Tzirlin and Jeff Juhasz—who also serves as executive producer and writer, respectively, on the newly released Amazon series SECRET LEVEL (2025)—and directed by Marcus Alqueres. WARDEN was produced by Steve Tzirlin, Marcus Alqueres, Jeff Juhasz, and Sarah Kinga Smith. The featured cast includes Giovanni de Lorenzi (‘Warden’), Alli Willow (‘Katarina Legero’), Antonio Saboia (‘Romeu Filho’), Kukassa Kabengele (‘Davi Lopes’), James Turpin (‘Andy Baltz’), and Nathalia Florentino (‘Alana Sati’).
“What drew me to WARDEN was its reflection of society’s deep fascination with heroes—how we elevate them, place our faith in their power to save us, and the hidden dangers that come with it,” said filmmaker Marcus Alqueres. “I love exploring ‘what if’ scenarios and reimagining familiar genres in unexpected ways, and WARDEN gave me the opportunity to do both.”
“The vision of director Marcus Alqueres as a filmmaker is visceral and provocative, with a fresh take on modern society’s search for the hero it needs through a performance-driven lens,” said producer Sarah Kinga Smith. “In a real-world-inspired narrative, Marcus’ storytelling redefines heroism and deconstructs traditional notions of what it means to be a hero, challenging audiences to question the difference between the heroes we seek, the ones we create, and the ones we truly need.”
Freestyle Digital Media negotiated the deal to acquire WARDEN directly with the filmmakers and Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films.
WARDEN website (IMDB): www.imdb.com/title/tt22184760/?ref_=nm_flmg_unrel_1_dr
About Freestyle Digital Media
The digital distribution unit of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, Freestyle Digital Media, is a premiere multi-platform distributor with direct partnerships across all major cable, satellite, digital, and streaming platforms. Capitalizing on a robust infrastructure, proven track record, and a veteran sales team, Freestyle Digital Media is a true home for independent films. Recent releases include ALLSWELL IN NEW YORK starring Emmy award-winning actress Liza Colón-Zayas from the hit FX series THE BEAR, ALL HAPPY FAMILIES starring Josh Radnor and Rob Huebel, the drama based on a novel THE GHOST TRAP starring Zak Steiner from EUPHORIA and Greer Grammer of AWKWARD, and the Weekly World News horror-comedy THE ZOMBIE WEDDING. Other Freestyle Digital Media titles include THE ROAD DOG starring comedian Doug Stanhope, SURVIVE starring HBO’s GAME OF THRONES star Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins, the music documentary profiling blues guitar legends Jimmie Vaughan and Stevie Ray Vaughan, BROTHERS IN BLUES, DEAR ZOE starring Sadie Sink from the hit Netflix series STRANGER THINGS, Jessica Capshaw and Theo Rossi, the teen musical BEST SUMMER EVER featuring a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities, produced by Jamie Lee Curtis, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary Steenburgen, and Ted Danson, and THE WEDDING YEAR starring Sarah Hyland and Anna Camp.
For more information, visit:
www.allenmedia.tv
www.freestyledigitalmedia.tv
PR CONTACT
Amy Prenner
The Prenner Group
amy@theprennergroup.com
Eric Peterkofsky
Allen Media Group / Freestyle Digital Media
eric@es.tv
FDM Official Trailer "Warden" (2025)