Good Boy’s canine protagonist, Indy, stole the show and hearts of many fans, though his convincing acting left many wondering how the film pulled it off. Recently, the director explained how this impressive performance was even possible.
Written and directed by Ben Leonberg, the film follows a dog named Indy as he fights to protect his owner, Todd (played by Shane Jensen). The pair move into a new home, but are tormented by evil spirits that only Indy can see.
In an interview with Dread Central, Leonberg shares how Indy managed to deliver such a good performance during filming. The most important strategy was making sure they were prepared and making the most of what limited time Indy could be on set.
“He can only film for a very small number of hours a day. So the film’s going to have to stretch over a much longer period than a normal film would. We’re only filming one to three hours a day. We did it over three years, over 400 days,” stated Leonberg.
He went on to add that it was a learning curve to ensure they could get the shots required for Good Boy: “He can do commands. But it’s also about getting what appears to be a performance, which is coming from him, but also coming from the audience and the filmmaking, because the audience projects their own feelings onto him.”
The director continues by stating: “Through the power of filmmaking and cinematic shot progression, you can show his point of view. We return to the objective shot of him, of his face, there’s a blank expression in reality, but the audience say, “That dog is scared,” even though he’s not; you’re scared. You’re just projecting your own feelings onto him.”
How Good Boy Became A Viral Sensation
Good Boy received positive feedback for its unique take on the horror genre and has a 92% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Despite using a dog for the movie, fans were still hesitant to watch, and Google searches spiked by 2000% to ensure Indy survives the horrors. Leonberg personally clarified that Indy survives before the film’s release.
Shudder’s new horror, Good Boy, became a viral sensation before it was even released. Indy is clearly the star of the show, and using a dog as the protagonist has intrigued a new wave of movie watchers to ensure the dog survives and is the hero. Unlike many other horrors who use beloved pets as collateral damage.
It broke a record for Shudder and became the third-highest-grossing movie for the platform at the box office. Alongside the near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating, Good Boy is guaranteed for success among horror fans in both box office and streaming. Leonberg has confirmed in an interview with ScreenRant previously that he is interested in expanding the animal-centered horror universe, however not right away. It’s unclear what his next project will be, but he has stated he wishes to work with humans next.
- Release Date
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October 3, 2025
- Runtime
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73 minutes
- Director
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Ben Leonberg
- Writers
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Alex Cannon, Ben Leonberg
