By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson AMFM Magazine | December 18, 2025
In the sun-drenched countryside of southern France, a young woman’s chilling fascination with murder and identity theft sends her life into a whirlwind of chaos. That’s the tantalizing premise of Influencers, the thrilling sequel to 2022’s breakout Shudder hit Influencer. Premiering on Shudder December 12, 2025, the film reunites magnetic antihero CW (Cassandra Naud) with her sole survivor Madison (Emily Tennant) in a globe-trotting game of cat-and-mouse that skewers the dark underbelly of social media obsession.
Writer-director Kurtis David Harder expands his twisted universe with breathtaking locations in Paris, southern France, Bali, and Vancouver. Joining Naud and Tennant are Georgina Campbell, Lisa Delamar, Jonathan Whitesell, Veronica Long, and Dylan Playfair.
In an exclusive roundtable interview, Harder, Naud, and Tennant dish on the magic (and mayhem) of making this “crazy but totally fun” sequel.
From Run-and-Gun Indie to Global Thriller
Harder reflects on evolving from the intimate, 11-person crew of the original—shot guerrilla-style in Thailand—to a bigger canvas: “The first movie was made with 11 people… just traveling around as a very small group of friends. [This] has led to being able to come back and do a sequel on a bigger canvas.”
Filming spanned nearly five months on the road, with standout moments in exotic locales. Naud and Tennant fondly recall shooting in a Bali treehouse: “We were filming in her treehouse for a couple of days, and that was our accommodation as well… surrounded by monkeys and birds and roosters keeping you up all hours of the night.” Yet, it was “magical.”
Tennant raves about their wrap party: “Our last day in Bali, we shot at this club called Finn’s Beach Club… We just stayed there afterwards and had our little wrap party at the club where we shot this incredible scene. Shout out to Finn’s Beach Club—super fun!”
Harder highlights the Paris love montage: “We were just kind of run-and-gun traveling around Paris for a couple days… That was probably the standout.”
Diving Deeper into Digital Deception
While the first film presciently explored identity fraud before AI exploded into mainstream consciousness, the sequel tackles evolving ramifications. Harder explains: “When we did the first film, ChatGPT wasn’t even on the radar… Coming into the sequel… what are some of the potential social ramifications that are around the corner? … Exploring some different sides of these different subcultures online.”
Naud and Tennant echo real-world wariness. Naud says: “I’m wary about who I let into my life in general, not just social media… Our film explores the theme of who these people are online versus who they are in reality. I just wouldn’t trust someone’s online persona.”
Tennant adds: “You can’t trust what you’re seeing is what I would say.”
Advice for Aspiring Storytellers
For those dreaming of breaking into the industry, the trio emphasizes collaboration and grit. Naud credits indie shorts: “Get involved in your local indie competitions… That’s how that happened for me.”
Tennant stresses networking and professionalism: “Collaboration is everything… Being a professional… showing up ready… being great to work with.”
Harder champions the DIY spirit: “If you’re starting out, it really is just find people that you get along with and make stuff… That’s really at the end of the day all we really did.”
Staying Grounded Amid the Chaos
With epic fight scenes and high-stakes drama, how do they stay focused? Both Naud and Tennant point to connection: “Connecting with your scene partner… staying connected whether it’s physically or in emotionally heavy dialog scenes.”
Harder adds preparation paired with openness: “Coming in prepared… but then also… being open to happy accidents.”
As Influencers streams on Shudder, this talented trio proves that paradise can hide the darkest impulses—and that sometimes, the most thrilling stories come from grabbing a camera and running with friends.
Catch Influencers now on Shudder, and revisit the original for the full twisted ride. Who’s ready for a third? Harder, Naud, and Tennant certainly seem game.
