British Genre Filmmaking Surges Forward as “Doctor Plague” Emerges as Shogun Films’ Next Big Swing

The momentum behind British genre cinema continues to accelerate, and few companies are pushing harder than Shogun Films. Their newest project, Doctor Plague, promises to be one of the most distinctive and unsettling thrillers emerging from the UK in years. Written by Robert Dunn from an idea by Robert Geoffrey Hughes and directed by Ben Fortune, the film pairs a mythic, folk-horror aesthetic with a grim serial-killer narrative—an ambitious blend that has already stirred excitement in film circles.

The production is in the hands of veteran filmmaker Jonathan Sothcott, a figure well-known within British independent cinema for his consistent output of tightly crafted genre titles. Sothcott, whose recent producing credits include Renegades and We Still Kill the Old Way, speaks with unusual enthusiasm about this latest collaboration. And much of that excitement, he says, revolves around the return of Martin Kemp.

Kemp, an iconic screen presence since The Krays, stars as a world-weary detective pulled into a labyrinth of ritualistic violence. Sothcott doesn’t mince his words when describing Kemp’s contribution. “It has been a joy working with Martin again,” he told us. “He’s absolutely brilliant in the film. The role of the world-weary detective is perfect for him and his performance is off the scale—I’d say his best since The Krays, and I don’t say that lightly.”

At the centre of the film’s visual identity is its masked antagonist—the Plague Doctor, a figure whose historically rooted design has been reimagined for modern terror. Sothcott describes the look as “brilliantly simple but awesome,” noting that despite the character’s iconic silhouette, this is the first time such imagery has served as the core concept of a major film. “We’re already looking at action figures,” he added, hinting at the confidence the team has in its franchise potential.

The tone of Doctor Plague appears to sit at the intersection of psychological tension and folkloric dread. Early descriptions have drawn comparisons to Se7en and The Wicker Man—two films that represent very different corners of the genre landscape. Marrying the procedural intensity of a detective thriller with the ritualistic unease of British folk horror is no small undertaking, but Sothcott believes the team has achieved something singular. “Part folk horror, part serial killer thriller,” he said, “I think it is unlike any other British film in the market and I can’t wait for audiences to see it next year.”

The film’s arrival also marks another milestone for Shogun Films, which has rapidly positioned itself as one of the UK’s most prolific genre production houses. The company has been expanding its output at an astonishing rate—an effort that Sothcott describes as a “conveyor belt operation” for high-quality genre features.

Among the projects soon to make their way to audiences is Helloween, a killer-clown thriller expected to tap into the continuing fan appetite for clown-centric horror. Also approaching release is Knightfall, a spy-action film that will broaden the company’s reach beyond pure horror and into the action-thriller market.

Shogun’s slate extends even further, showcasing the studio’s ambition to build an interconnected library of genre offerings. One of the most anticipated is Werewolf Hunt, a lycanthropic action-horror hybrid set to feature seven-foot-tall practical creature suits—a commitment to in-camera effects that recalls the beloved cult classic Dog Soldiers. The physicality of these suits is already generating interest among horror fans hungry for practical monsters in an age dominated by digital effects.

Also in the pipeline is Midnight Kiss, a vampire chiller positioned to deliver a sleek, atmospheric take on traditional bloodsucker mythology. Killer Instinct, an action-heavy fighting thriller, promises a different form of adrenaline-driven storytelling, while The Secret of Guy Fawkes brings historical horror into the mix with a tale rooted in one of Britain’s most infamous conspiracies.

The range of genres—werewolves, vampires, cults, espionage, historical terror—reflects a deliberate strategy: create a diverse, high-energy catalogue that appeals to audiences hungry for bold, entertaining storytelling. It’s a vision that harks back to the heyday of British genre cinema, when independent studios embraced risk and innovation to produce films that resonated far beyond their budgets.

With Doctor Plague leading the charge, Shogun Films appears poised to inject new vitality into the UK’s expanding genre landscape. A compelling concept, a respected cast, and a production team eager to push boundaries suggest that next year’s release may become a standout entry in modern British horror.

What remains clear is that the company’s pace is not slowing. From masked killers to towering werewolves, from secret spy missions to shadowed conspiracies, Shogun Films is carving out a space where inventive, unapologetically bold genre stories can thrive—and Doctor Plague looks ready to take its place at the centre of that resurgence.