While Hollywood churns out reboot after reboot, one independent studio is determined to blaze its own trail – Reverie Realms Studios. Founded by Frank Cid, Woody Dorilus, and Joseph Wehle, this creative team is focused on producing character-driven films designed to ignite crucial cultural conversations. Their mission? To craft cinema that gets audiences thinking and feeling in profound new ways.
“We’re not interested in just churning out mindless content,” explains Joseph, executive producer and co-writer. “Our goal is to make movies that really mean something – films with the power to change hearts, challenge perspectives, and make you stop to think about the deeper questions in life.”
The team’s unique edge? A bootstrapped mentality combined with deep financial savviness honed from Frank and Woody’s decades of navigating the capital markets and venture capital worlds. With a holistic approach of capturing audience attention and a talent for crafting cinematic experiences that feel like big-budget productions, even on lean budgets, their business acumen comes in handy.
“Having that solid business foundation and ability to identify viable creative concepts is a major advantage for us,” Frank explains. “It allows us to back projects driven by bold storytelling visions without getting bogged down by the financial headaches that too often force other studios to compromise their creative integrity. For us, it’s always story first.”
Their current project Final Hour – a haunting drama about redemption and our capacity to forgive even the most heinous acts. This emotional ensemble drama follows death row inmate David Collins (William Mark McCullough) in his final hour before execution, as a shocking revelation emerges about the priest, Father John (Manny Perez), who has come to administer his last rites. What unfolds is a plunge into the depths of grief, morality, and humanity’s never-ending quest for redemption as both men are forced to confront the truths that bind them together.
“Truly great stories are built on characters that get under your skin and stick with you long after the credits roll,” says Woody, who co-wrote the Final Hour script alongside Joseph. “With this film, we’ve crafted an ensemble that grapples with the darker, more complex sides of the human experience – issues of morality, faith, and how we confront the darkest parts of ourselves.”
But Final Hour boasts more than its captivating narrative. The cast includes heavyweights like Manny Perez, Olga Merediz, and Eric Roberts, while director Jamal Hill brings his extensive experience having worked on major Hollywood productions such as “Iron Man,” “Hancock,” and “I Am Legend.”
For the Reverie Realms founders, Final Hour is just the beginning of their ambitions to create a place for daring, thought-provoking stories across all genres. “We want this studio to be a place where wildly creative, entertaining narratives that really make you think can flourish,” Frank says. “The goal is to become a hub where the most inventive concepts and perspectives have the freedom to fully come to life.”
As Final Hour’s release approaches, the impact will extend far beyond box office returns. “While the film wrestles with faith, at its core this is a human story of redemption that anyone can find themselves in, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.” reflects Joseph. “If we can prompt viewers to question their own capacity for forgiveness, to revisit their own struggles and shortcomings with a more compassionate lens, then we’ll have achieved something truly special.”
With an ambitious development slate populated by daring, high-concept stories across genres, Reverie Realms is undoubtedly a studio to watch. In an industry where prioritizing creativity often takes a backseat, the studio’s rallying cry sets them apart – to elevate wildly entertaining yet thought-provoking cinema with the power to catalyze long-overdue cultural dialogue and shift perspectives.
“We want to tell great stories, not just create content,” notes Woody. “We’re pursuing amazing characters and subjects that get uncomfortable, that make you really think. Letting unique voices and perspectives shine that may otherwise go untold.”