Creepy crawly: Deadly lice attacking high school latest horror movie to shoot in Hamilton

Hamilton Spectator

23-05-2025

Lice that can turn a person homicidal escape from a research laboratory and find their way into the scalps of staff and kids at a high school.
That's the premise of the new horror movie 'LICE,' filming at the former Delta Secondary School.
The movie, involving the production company of 'Entourage' star Kevin Connolly, started shooting May 13 and is the latest horror flick to shoot in the Hammer. The production also involves Hamilton-based French Toast Films.
'LICE,' involving the production company of 'Entourage' star Kevin Connolly, started shooting May 13 and is the latest horror flick to shoot in the Hammer.
On the first day of filming at the Main Street East landmark, cameras shot a scene outside the Graham Avenue entrance of the school, which closed to students in 2019.
Actors were dressed up like high school students, carrying knapsacks and wearing letter jackets. Cars in the parking lot were 1970s vintage, including a Chevrolet and an Oldsmobile.
The ornate front of the school had a blue American mailbox out front and a large American flag on the flagpole. A truck pulled up carrying emergency vehicles, including an ambulance, a sheriff's truck and a police car with a logo for the Des Plaines police department and the motto 'Dignity, Determination, Decency.' The film is set in Long Island, N.Y., in the 1980s.
An American flag and mailbox adorn the ornate front of Delta Secondary School for the filming of the new horror movie 'LICE.'
Connolly, 51, is best known for his role as the agent Eric Murphy (known as 'E') in the HBO series 'Entourage,' which ran from 2004-2011 and was also a 2015 movie. He's also a producer and director. His company is Action Park Media.
Connolly arrived in Hamilton in January to scout locations and came to the school. Since coming here, he has found his way a number of times to the End Zone Bar & Grill across the street from the school.
'I love Hamilton,' he told The Spec at the set.
Connolly plays a police detective in the movie. 'LICE' also stars Emile Hirsch as a science teacher and Justin Long as the principal. The director is Canadian Jonathan Bensimon and it was written by Anthony Musella and Shaun Harris.
According to a trailer on the film's Instagram account, the U.S. government determined during the height of the Cold War that the nuclear option was no option to confront the Soviet Union, so it turned to a doctor in a research laboratory for help. He developed biologically-engineered lice that would break a person's mind.
However, a variant was created that awakens a 'homicidal behaviour.' The army eventually steps in and the school is locked down.
A sheriff's truck, police care and ambulance arrive at Delta Secondary School on May 13 for use in the new horror movie 'LICE.'
Dominic Ewenson, president of French Toast Films, which was involved in the Hamilton-filmed 'The Love Club' movies, is one of the co-producers. He said he was approached a while ago by the American producers and said he's excited about the project. Ewenson moved French Toast Films from Toronto to Hamilton last year.
'This is the main location for the film, but I'm sure there will be a few shots we will be doing here and there,' Ewenson told The Spec adding filming will last about a month and about 70 people are working on the movie.
'We're very proud to be able to bring a show here and be able to put some money into the local economy and encourage the film infrastructure in Hamilton,' Ewenson said.
Dominic Ewenson, president of Hamilton-based French Toast Films, is helping make the horror movie 'LICE' at the former Delta Secondary School.
Postproduction has not yet been set, but it sounds like the movie will have a theatrical release.
'Stay tuned,' Ewenson said. 'We're sure this will end up where everyone can watch. We're hoping for a wide release, so hopefully everyone can see it sometime next year.'
Horror films/shows that have shot in the city since the start of the year include one about zombies, a deadly wedding, a deadly marriage, ghosts and a murderous Santa Claus. The prequel to 'IT,' called 'Welcome to Derry' for HBO Max, and 'Fear Street: Prom Queen' shot in the city, including at the former Delta. The latter premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 23.