Good Boy (2025 Leonberg film)

Good Boy is a 2025 American independent supernatural horror film directed by Ben Leonberg, who co-wrote it with Alex Cannon. It stars Leonberg's dog, Indy, alongside Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, and Larry Fessenden. The film follows Indy as he attempts to rescue his owner, a young man with a chronic lung disease, who is engulfed by a supernatural presence lurking in his late grandfather's rural home. The film marks the feature-length directorial debut of Leonberg, who conceived the idea after re-watching Poltergeist (1982) and noting the horror trope of dogs sensing the presence of ghosts before humans. He decided to write a traditional haunted house film from the perspective of a dog. Leonberg and Cannon began writing the script in 2017, emphasizing action and perspective over dialogue to reflect the dog's point of view. Indy had no prior acting experience when Leonberg cast him in the lead role. The film was shot over a three-year period in Harding Township, New Jersey, with both Leonberg and Wade Grebnoel serving as cinematographers. Only Indy, Leonberg, and Leonberg's wife Kari Fischer (who produced the film alongside Leonberg) were present on set for much of the shoot. Good Boy premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 8, and was released theatrically in the United States by Independent Film Company and Shudder on October 3. It received generally positive reviews, with praise for its ambitious concept, technical craftsmanship, visual style, emotionally resonant themes, and Indy's performance. However, some were critical of the storytelling, citing a convoluted narrative and pacing issues. The film was a commercial success, grossing $8 million on a $70,000 budget.