The gothic horror thriller “The Raven,” starring Emmy winners Kristos Andrews and Mike Manning, will be released on VOD on Friday, January 16th. #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos has the scoop.
It was written and directed by Emmy winner Gregori J. Martin of “The Bay.” It is an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s narrative poems “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee.” In North America, it is distributed by Buffalo 8.
The movie is set in a dark and shadowy 1940s-inspired world, following a grieving man’s descent into madness mere hours after burying his beloved Annabel Lee. The appearance of a mysterious raven causes him to be tormented by guilt, supernatural encounters and the fragile boundary between life and death.
This film marks Tony Todd’s final performance before he passed away in November of 2024.
Gregori J. Martin shared his director’s statement via a post on Instagram: “From a young age I’ve been a fan of classic horror films and the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. While other kids were watching cartoons, I was watching William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist.” While they were reading ‘The Hardy Boys,’ I was reading ‘A Tell-Tale Heart’.”
Martin continued, “For our film ‘The Raven,’ we took the romance and tragedy from Poe’s classic poems ‘Annabelle Lee,’ ‘The Raven’ and ‘Lenore’ and expanded the universal themes of Poe’s works for a 2025 audience. I tried to capture the tone of each poem, while taking audiences through a story that explores the human condition in a way that is mystical yet relatable.”
“I used a 1940’s WWII time period to tell my story, incorporating staple pieces of Poe’s world while adding elements I hope are engaging and impactful. In addition, the film noir style of ‘The Raven,’ was inspired by the visuals of Stephen King classics I grew up watching,” he elaborated.
“The Raven” is produced by LANY Entertainment in association with She Mogul Media with Precious V. Mayes not only starring in it but also serving as an executive producer.
It is available on Fandango at Home, followed by an on-demand release on January 16, 2026, in the U.S. across Amazon, Fandango at Home, Verizon Fios, Hoopla, and major cable platforms, with additional territories and platforms to follow.
