2025’s highly anticipated New Zealand horror movie The Rule Of Jenny Pen will arrive in cinemas soon, with a streaming release shortly after its premiere. The Rule Of Jenny Pen began life as a short story by celebrated New Zealand author Owen Marshall. After director James Ashcroft’s 2021 adaptation of another Marshall story, Coming Home in the Dark, became a critical success, the director brought The Rule Of Jenny Pen to life on screen.

The Rule Of Jenny Pen stars Geoffrey Rush as a retired judge who begins living in a care home after a stroke. Rush’s protagonist soon finds himself at the mercy of John Lithgow’s unhinged fellow patient, who seemingly uses the titular puppet to control the rest of the remote care home’s residents. John Lithgow’s horror movie will be released on the streaming service Shudder later in March, but first The Rule Of Jenny Pen will arrive in cinemas.

The Rule Of Jenny Pen Releases In Theaters On March 7, 2025

John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush Star in the Psychological Horror Movie

IFC gave The Rule Of Jenny Pen a March 7, 2025 release date for the start of its exclusive theatrical run. With a 64% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it is fair to say that this New Zealand horror movie’s blend of black comedy and psychological horror won over reviewers. However, The Rule Of Jenny Pen’s reception has not been as unambiguously positive as that of the less starry Coming Home in the Dark, which earned a superb 92% on the same site.

Find Showtimes For The Rule Of Jenny Pen

Theatrical showtimes from Friday, March 7, onward can be found via the links below:

• Fandango
• Regal
• AMC
• Alamo Drafthouse

The Rule Of Jenny Pen Starts Streaming On Shudder On March 28, 2025

The New Zealand Horror Movie Arrives On Streaming Three Weeks Later

For viewers who don’t want to endure the horrors of Jenny Penn’s reign on the big screen, The Rule Of Jenny Pen will begin streaming on Shudder on March 28. The Rule Of Jenny Pen will be distributed exclusively in theaters for three weeks before becoming available to home viewers via Shudder. The Rule Of Jenny Pen’s release is made all the more exciting by praise from no less than horror legend Stephen King. King called The Rule Of Jenny Pen “One of the best movies I’ve seen this year” before urging readers to view the movie on Shudder.

When Will The Rule Of Jenny Pen Release On Digital?

The Rule Of Jenny Pen’s Digital Release Should Arrive By March 28

Based on the streaming release date, The Rule Of Jenny Pen will arrive on digital no later than March 28. The Rule Of Jenny Pen marks a step-up for director Ashcroft thanks to its starrier cast, although his sophomore effort has a lot in common with its predecessor. Coming Home in the Dark and The Rule Of Jenny Pen both use Marshall's psychological horror tropes as a vector for social commentary, and both movies explore themes of aging, regret, and social coercion.

Thanks to the presence of Lithgow and Rush, The Rule Of Jenny Pen is one of 2025’s more exciting indie horrors. Its surreal premise could have ended up more silly than scary, but high praise from King proves that Ashcroft struck the right balance in his second adaptation of a Marshall story. As such, horror fans will want to seek out The Rule Of Jenny Pen once it arrives in theaters, on streaming, and on digital in March 2025.