Good Boy 2025

Movie · 73 min · English · March 8, 2025

Directed by Ben LeonbergWritten by Alex Cannon, Ben Leonberg

Starring Indy (dog), Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, Larry Fessenden, Stuart Rudin

Good Boy is a 2025 American supernatural horror film directed by Ben Leonberg, who co-wrote it with Alex Cannon. The movie features Leonberg's dog, Indy, in a starring role as himself, alongside Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman, and Larry Fessenden in supporting roles. The story centers on Indy while he tries to save his owner Todd (Jensen), a young man suffering from chronic lung disease, who becomes increasingly overwhelmed by an otherworldly force after relocating to his late grandfather's secluded woodland residence.

This production represents the directorial debut of Leonberg, who developed the concept following a rewatch of Poltergeist (1982) and observing how dogs often detect ghostly presence before humans do. He chose to craft a classic haunted house story through a canine perspective. Writing began with Leonberg and Cannon in 2017, focusing on action and viewpoint rather than dialogue to match the dog's sensory experience. Indy had no acting background when cast as the main character. Filming took place over three years in Harding Township, New Jersey, with Leonberg and Wade Grebnoel handling cinematography duties. During most of production, only Indy, Leonberg, and producer Kari Fischer, Leonberg's wife, were present on set.

The film made its debut at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 8, then opened in theaters across the United States through Independent Film Company and Shudder on October 3. It proved commercially successful, earning $8.8 million against a $70,000 budget. Critics offered mostly favorable feedback, appreciating its innovative premise, technical execution, visual approach, emotional depth, and Indy's performance. Nonetheless, some reviewers criticized the narrative structure, pointing out complications in pacing and storytelling. As a result of his portrayal, Indy earned an Astra Award, becoming the first dog to win such a significant acting honor previously limited to human actors.