‘Shooting blood everywhere’: Calgary slasher film aims to break world record

The team behind the largely Calgary film 'Until There is One' is attempting to break a world record for the number of on-screen deaths.

Blood is splashing Calgary sets during production of a horror movie attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the highest slasher death count in a feature film.

Until There is One, written and directed by Calgary actor and producer Douglas Vermeeren, follows a group of people trying to survive a night locked in a room with a serial killer for the chance to win $1 million.

“I was with my son, and we wondered, what’s the Guinness World Record for the most kills in a slasher movie? We found that it was 155, and we were like, ”We can beat that!” said Vermeeren, adding his independent film should surpass the record by a lot.

“By the time we’re done, around 2,000 kills.”

An open casting call allowed anyone to apply to be one of those victims in the crowdfunded film, featuring prominent actors from the horror genre, including Douglas Tait (Halloween Kills, Freddy vs. Jason, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2) from L.A., who is the star of the Calgary film.

“I love this city; it’s amazing,” said Tait, who has been training for the potentially record-setting role.

“I’ve played some famous killers like Jason Voorhees, and I know how to kill and I know the movements and the stunts, so I think I’m going to bring more intensity to it.”

Volunteer victims had the chance to speak with Tait before their scenes.

“He’s in a bunch of movies that I’m obsessed with, so it was really cool to meet him in person to see how humble he is,” said Calgarian Seema Basati.

Though this is her first time working in the TV and film industry, the horror movie fan said her day job helped her prepare.

“People think what I do, like, requires a certain element of darkness, I guess,” Basati said.

“I’m a root canal specialist, so I see patients in pain all day long, and I do a lot of surgery, so I deal with blood and the gore of things,” she said.

Vermeeren has worked around the world on productions including Mafia Spies, Black Creek and Tenants, but chose Calgary for this film.

“There are tons of talented people here. I’m friends with tons of people who I think are not being recognized for the work and not being given enough opportunities to work, so I’m going to try and bring more of the movies that we do back from either of the States or elsewhere,” Vermeeren said.

Members of the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and SAIT’s (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) Film and Video Production program are working on the project.

Though much of the production will take place in Calgary, some scenes will be shot in Toronto, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York.

Producers are working with Guinness World Record officials to establish parameters and confirm if the record is broken at the premiere.

“And if we beat the record, then they present that certificate to us, and then, of course, every participant that’s part of it as an actor or crew member or what have you, they’ll get a certificate saying that they are part of the record holding,” Vermeeren said.

Unlike the previous record holder, this film will not rely on special effects but instead on stunts, prop gags and a lot of fake blood.

“We’re all practical, so we’ve gone old-school. We are shooting blood everywhere,” Vermeeren said.

Most of the victims don’t even know how they will go until they enter the room for their scene, adding to the fun for fans of the genre.

“I can do a good scream, so I’m ready,” said Bailey Macdonald, a film studies grad excited for her first role.

“And I do like the gore of getting all bloody and running for your life screaming. I guess I love the idea of it.”

She’s not alone, and several horror conventions across North America cater to this crowd.

“It’s a thrill. I love haunted houses and horror. It’s an escape without actually injuring yourself,” said Tait, who also appeared at Calgary Horror Con in June.

Some horror conventions have already expressed interest in Until There is One.

The film will also have a limited theatrical release and then be available on a streaming platform.

That’s the most terrifying part for one young actor.

“I don’t know what I would sound like or look like on camera,” said 13-year-old Kylie Wahobin, who is making her film debut as a victim in Until There is One.

The movie, also starring Matty Cardarople (Stranger Things, Free Guy, Jurassic World) and Lauren-Marie Taylor (Friday the 13th Part 2, His Name Was Jason), is expected to be released in spring 2026.