Leonardo DiCaprio is a well-known and respected actor with a thirty-year career in the film industry, but in 2004 he shifted focus to film production by founding his company, Appian Way Productions, which has put out a surprising number of horror movies. Since its creation, the production company has released a wide range of films in different genres from crime dramas to biopics and beyond; overall, they’ve had mixed success.
In terms of horror movies, Appian Way Productions seems to favor psychological thrillers with twisty plots and unexpected endings. To date, the company has released five total horror films that have received mixed success over the years; most of them follow this sort of format.
Interestingly, DiCaprio doesn’t have much of a history with the horror genre aside from showing up in Critters 3. In fact, only one of the films produced by Appian Way includes DiCaprio on screen at all—he seems to prefer remaining off-screen for these types of movies. So, for horror fans looking to get a taste of what Appian Way is producing in terms of genre content, here’s a breakdown of all the horror movies the company has released so far.
Orphan (2009)
Orphan follows a couple who have recently lost a baby as they adopt a young girl from an orphanage. Unfortunately, however, their new adopted daughter isn’t exactly what she seems.
The movie stars Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard and was a moderate success, receiving mixed reviews from critics who praised its dark humor and tension, but criticized its lack of depth. This was the first horror movie produced by Appian Way, who released the movie in conjunction with Dark Castle Entertainment.
Orphan features a major twist as the main plot point of the story, and follows a psychological thriller style. This theme remains consistent across the other four horror films that Appian Way has released thus far.
Shutter Island (2010)
The second horror movie that Appian Way produced is probably their most well-known, and also the only one to star Leonardo DiCaprio. Shutter Island follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) as he arrives at Ashecliffe Hospital to investigate the escape of a female patient who had been housed in the hospital. As Daniels progresses further in his investigation, he begins to discover evidence of dark deeds committed within the facility and is forced to confront his own fears in order to escape from the island hospital alive.
An ambiguous and twisted film that left audiences with a lot of questions, Shutter Island is well-regarded as one of the best psychological thrillers of the modern era. Upon release, the movie received mostly positive reviews from critics, and was even chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2010.
Red Riding Hood (2011)
A new twist on the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Red Riding Hood stars Amanda Seyfried as the titular character, Valerie. As Valerie plans to run away with her lover Peter before her family can force her to marry another man, her sister is murdered by a werewolf, and Valerie begins to suspect that the monster is someone she knows.
After the success of Martin Scorcese’s Shutter Island the previous year, Red Riding Hood was a flop. Critics reviewed it poorly, praising Seyfried’s performance, but noting that the characters and story left much to be desired. The movie currently holds a 10% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Under the Bed (2017)
After Red Riding Hood’s failure, Appian Way Productions took a step back from the horror genre, not returning to psychological thrillers until six years later when they released the made-for-TV movie, Under the Bed.
Written and directed by Daniel Myrick (The Blair Witch Project), Under the Bed is based on a true story in which a newly-single woman is befriended on social media site by a man who is actually a stalker hiding inside her home. Premiering on the Lifetime television network, Under the Bed has received mostly negative reviews, and remains relatively unknown due to its television release.
Delirium (2018)
In conjunction with Jason Blum through Blumhouse Productions, Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest horror movie through Appian Way is Delirium. A 2018 psychological thriller that stars Topher Grace as a newly released mental patient, Delirium follows Tom Walker (Grace), as he is released from the hospital after twenty years and comes to live in a mansion left to him by his recently deceased parents.
Tom is placed under house arrest, and must check in via video phone daily for 30 days or he will be returned to the institution, but as stranger and stranger things begin happening in the home, Tom comes to the conclusion that the home his parents left him is haunted.
Delirium is a return to Appian Way’s traditional twisty psychological thriller formula, and as such has seen more positive reviews than either Red Riding Hood or Under the Bed. Receiving a 52% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Delirium has gotten mixed reviews. But, with the sharp increase in quality and performance from the company’s more recent horror movies, this movie could mark the beginning of an upswing for DiCaprio’s Appian Way and the horror genre.