Madeleine Arthur, Dianne Doan to Star in Horror Film Doula
Madeleine Arthur and Dianne Doan will lead the cast of Doula, a Canadian-U.S. psychological horror film written and directed by Goldie Jones, according to Deadline. The announcement was published on 29 September 2026. The project is set up as a two-person story, with Arthur and Doan in the central roles.
Psychological horror, in plain terms, aims to frighten through mood, perception and mental pressure rather than shocks alone. A Canadian-U.S. tag means companies and backing from both sides of the border are involved. Here, that framework supports an intimate birth story turned frightening.
Doan plays the doula. A doula is a trained companion who gives practical and emotional support during pregnancy and birth, but does not replace medical staff. In the story, her character travels to an isolated mountain cabin to assist with a difficult delivery. Arthur plays the pregnant client she is there to help.
The job turns into a trap. The two women find themselves held together in a sadistic, reality-bending game. The production has not released further story details, including how the game unfolds or how it ends.
Principal photography, the industry term for the main shoot with the lead cast, is scheduled to begin on 1 October in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Deadline reported. That puts cameras rolling two days after the casting news. The shoot will draw on the Manitoba Film and Music tax incentive, provincial support that lowers the cost of hiring local crews and using local services.
James J Yi is producing alongside Alice Teufack, Judd Tilyard and Verity Fiction. Producers typically guide a film from development through delivery, managing money, hiring and logistics. Andrea Chung is executive-producing with Carvel Rock Pictures alongside Kristine Estorninos. Nicole Arbusto serves as casting director, leading the search for actors.
Arthur is represented by Gersh Agency, McGood Talent Management and Brave Artists Management. Doan is represented by Principals Talent, Innovative Artists and Forward Entertainment. Such credits list the agents and managers who handle deals and career advice, and they appear routinely in casting announcements.
What makes this stand out is its focus. Two women share one remote cabin. A birth is under threat. For viewers, that points to a close, tense kind of horror built on character rather than crowds or effects.
