Animals, even domestic ones, are no strangers to horror movies. In fact, from snakes to spiders, bears to prehistoric sea creatures, it could be argued that non-humans get just as much screentime as their human victims.
Thanks to Stephen King, we have experience with dangerous dogs, too. Cujo, the 1981 book and 1983 film, told the tale of a frenzied Saint Bernard, who'd managed to trap a family in their car. It’s a ‘bottle’ (mostly set in one location) movie that flips the script on Man’s Best Friend.
Thirty years on, we get Good Boy, a 2025 Ben Leonberg film about a dog named Indy (his real name), facing down the darkness inside his owner’s new home. It won the Howl of Fame Award at SXSW, but, apparently, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever didn’t have many lines to learn at all.
Furry Talent
Good Boy comes at a time when animal-based media seems to be in vogue. Back in 2022, the video game Stray had the player control a cat trying to escape a ruined cybercity. It will be accompanied at some point in the future by a horror game called The Way Home, in which a feline does what cats do best - staring into the void at what lies beyond.
Comparatively, dog games are thin on the ground, but the JackpotCity website carries several canine slots for UK players, including The Dog House Megaways. It sits alongside other four-legged titles like Barnyard Megahays Megaways and Slingo Wolf Snowstorm.
Of course, we can’t forget the loyal Dogmeat character in Fallout 4 and the related TV show (interestingly, the dog who played “Dogmeat” or CX404 in the latter also starred in a 2022 movie simply entitled Dog. Her real name is Lana5, and she’s a model for Anchor Pet Supply).
Good Boy became yet another vehicle for furry talent when it launched in March at the film event SXSW and then found a wide release in October. Protagonist Indy didn’t receive any training at all for his first film role, yet, his performance earned rave reviews from critics.
Playing Fetch
So, how was it made? Leonberg explained that scenes with Indy walking from one point to another were achieved by making a path of treats for the dog, adding that keeping him still for close-ups was one of the harder tasks.
Being a horror movie, Indy had to appear scared in some scenes. Rather than place the pooch in peril, Good Boy’s sound team adjusted and mixed in “vocalisations” from Indy playing fetch with the team. So, no good boys were harmed in the making.
Indy and Leonberg have done several interviews in support of Good Boy, detailing how the movie was filmed in their own house. This allowed for scenes that wouldn’t be possible in a studio, such as Indy falling asleep or waking up naturally, and his interactions with his owner.
Good Boy has been well-received, with Empire calling it "brilliantly executed" in its review. There might be a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Indy yet.
