©Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures has dropped a new trailer for Joshua Giuliano’s brutal slasher film “River” after acquiring it in Toronto last month.

The Midnight Madness selection for TIFF’s opening night features a duo of contemporary horror stars – “Happy Death Day” actress Jessica Rothe is paired with “Don’t Breathe” and “Evil Dead” regular Jane Levy.

The estranged sisters, who had not seen each other since their younger brother Max Mattern reunited them, returned to their rural hometown to scatter their late father’s ashes at his favorite spot along a remote river.

As darkness envelops the sky, the boat is disabled and has no cell service. They’re trapped miles from rescue, and someone is standing, watching, from the beach. A struggle for survival soon intensifies as they are ruthlessly hunted by a sinister masked figure (Dane DiLiegro).

When it was unveiled last year, the project was referred to as a Shudder Original Production, with Independent Film Company overseeing its theatrical distribution. With Universal, the plans are now shelved, scheduled to debut theatrically on January 15th.