Former Blink-182 guitarist, current Angels & Airwaves frontman and noted UFO enthusiast Tom DeLonge makes his directorial debut with Monsters of California, a new sci-fi action-comedy film chronicling a series of strange happenings around SoCal.
DeLonge debuted the first official trailer for Monsters of California on the To The Stars Media YouTube channel. The film currently lacks a release date, though will soon be screened to distributors. Described as a "coming-of-age adventure with a sci-fi twist," Monsters of California centers on Dallas Edwards (Jack Samson), a teenager who enlists his friends to get to the bottom of the supernatural occurrences happening in his own backyard.
The directorial debut of Tom DeLonge (Blink 182, Angels & Airwaves), Monsters of California follows teenager Dallas Edwards and his misfit friends as they attempt to unearth answers to a series of mysterious, paranormal events happening around Southern California. As they peel back the layers on this onion of the unexplainable, they unravel the extraordinary secrets held within the deepest levels of the Government. The film features an ensemble cast of new and familiar faces, including Tony Award® Nominee Richard Kind (Big Mouth, Curb Your Enthusiasm), veteran actor Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers), Emmy Award® Nominee Arianne Zucker (Days of Our Lives), Sports Illustrated model Camille Kostek, Gabrielle Haugh (Jeepers Creepers 3) and newcomers Jack Samson, Jared Scott, and Jack Lancaster.
"Anyone who knows me, or follows me on social media, knows I'm no stranger to the paranormal, which is why directing Monsters of California was a no brainer," DeLonge said. "The film takes my fascination with the unexplained, combines it with the skate culture I grew up a part of, and tosses in my ridiculous sense of humor that millions got to witness during my Blink-182 days. In recent years, I've had the good fortune of helping the Government remember how much they care about UFOs through the work we do at To The Stars, and it's that experience which helped inspire this movie. I can't wait for audiences to see the f**ked up fun adventure these kids go on."
While he is perhaps best known for his music, DeLonge has ventured into other forms of entertainment as well. Take, for example, the 2014 animated short film Poet Anderson: The Dream Walker, which was co-written and co-directed by DeLonge. Poet Anderson has since become a full-fledged multimedia project, featuring novels and comic books also written by DeLonge. DeLonge's other work as an author includes the Sekret Machines series and the children's book The Lonely Astronaut on Christmas Eve.
The rocker entered the world of live-action films with writer-director William Eubank's 2011 feature LOVE, which was produced and scored by DeLonge. That said, Monsters of Californiamarks DeLonge's first time directing a live-action feature of his own, which he has also created new music for. Additionally, DeLonge co-wrote the film with Ian Miller. DeLonge is producing Monsters of California through To The Stars, with Stan Spry and Eric Woods producing through Cartel Pictures.
"I've been a fan of Tom as an artist since I was in college," Spry said. "Blink-182, Boxcar Racer, and Angels & Airwaves are parts of the soundtrack of my life. Working with him on Monsters of California has been the most fun, and creatively fulfilling project I've had the good fortune to be involved in. I'm beyond excited for the world to get to see what he has created."
Monsters of California does not currently have a release date.
Source: YouTube, via To The Stars Media