Breaking news...this just became official and was announced by Manta Ray Pictures. Filming will take place next year, no release date yet. I am under a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits me from going into detail about the script/concept, but I portray Russell Tate, the leader of a paranormal research team that gets into a very scary situation. 

Of course my All Access members here on Patreon will get breaking behind-the-scenes action, whatever I'm allowed to share will be seen and heard here first.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: http://wordpress.mantaraypictures.com/ 

RON KEEL CAST AS “RUSSELL TATE” IN TERRY R. WICKHAM’S “ANOMALY”

Award-winning filmmaker Terry R. Wickham is announcing he has cast rock star Ron Keel (Ron Keel Band/Steeler/Keel) to play “Russell Tate” in his upcoming supernatural horror juggernaut “Anomaly.”

The writer/producer/director, who is a lifelong listener of hard rock and heavy metal, says, “I’ve been a fan of Ron’s music all the way back to when Steeler broke the scene with their debut album in September 1983.”

All of Keel’s major label album releases have spent time on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and he has performed extensively all over the world as a headliner and opener for legends such as Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith and Motley Crue. Ron has won awards for both his heavy metal accomplishments and as a country music artist & songwriter, earning him the nickname “Metal Cowboy.”

In Terry R. Wickham’s “Anomaly” Ron will be playing a role that’s almost tailor-made for him. “What’s pretty incredible,” Wickham continues, “is that I created the ‘Russell Tate’ character to be almost like a rock star, where he’s very confident, bordering on arrogance, but not so much that he is unlikeable. So the fact that I’m casting a real heavy metal singer gels perfectly with my vision of the character.

“What really gets me excited about Ron playing this role is that through our communication, it’s obvious that playing ‘Russell Tate’ means a lot to him. I feel confident his passion is going to carry over to his performance. In my opinion, passion is the most important thing anyone can ever bring to making a movie because it’s what drives someone to be great. It fuels dedication and commitment. I saw this come to fruition with two other rock stars, Ralf Scheepers when he starred in my film ‘Devil’s Five [the Wrapround),’ as well Veronica Freeman who was in both ‘Devil’s Five’ and ‘Double Vision’ who both had similar passion and delivered.

“The bottom line is, I was thinking whether I should cast an actor to be rock star-like or cast a rock star that could act.  I decided the latter because it’ll be a real thrill working with someone I’ve been a fan of for over 30 years and I have no doubt that our creative relationship is going to bring forth a fantastic performance in an exceptionally powerful movie."

Ron Keel studied acting at Santa Monica College and has had previous roles in several TV shows and films. “This is a role I can really sink my teeth into,” he comments. “By page two of the script, I was hooked; we’re gonna scare the hell out of some people.”