María Gabriela de Faría to Star in New Serial Killer Film “Romanticizing Monsters”

María Gabriela de Faría has landed a monster(s) of a role…

The 31-year-old Venezuelan actress and singer, who was recently tapped to play villain The Engineer in Warner Bros/DC’s Superman, will play the lead in Romanticizing Monsters, a new serial killer film from director Berkley Brady.

María Gabriela de FaríaThe film centers around de Faría’s character, Amelia Velez, a reporter and true crime podcaster investigating a series of missing person cases linked to an active serial killer that her boss and the police don’t believe exists.

With Justin Kelly and Katisha Shaw aboard to produce, the project is set to participate in the Frontières International Co Productions Market at Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal later today. Nicole Hilliard-Forde and Matthew Lessall are overseeing casting.

Soon to wrap her role in James Gunn’s Superman, the first title in a revamped DC slate, which is slated for release on July 11, 2025, de Faría will next be seen starring alongside Dylan Sprouse in the comedy The Duel, which Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment are releasing in theaters at the end of July.

Prior to Superman, de Faría was best known for a lead role in Lionsgate’s The Exorcism of God, a supernatural horror film co-written and directed by Alejandro Hidalgo, which was released through Saban Films after world premiering at Fantastic Fest.

In addition to the indie drama R#J, a modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the actress has also been seen on Fox’s Animal Control and The Moodys and Syfy’s Deadly Class.

Lionsgate & Grindstone Entertainment Acquire Rights to “The Duel,” Starring Maria Gabriela de Faria

Maria Gabriela de Faria’s latest project is going global.

Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment have acquired the rights to the comedy The Duel, starring the 31-year-old Venezuelan actress and singer, in North America, as well as all other English-speaking and Latin American territories.

María Gabriela de FaríaExecutive produced by and starring Dylan Sprouse, the film will hit theaters via Lionsgate and Iconic Releasing at the end of July.

In support of its release, a number of cast members will be in attendance this weekend at the Indy 500 parade, which will include a car and racing helmets themed to the film.

Those expected to attend include Sprouse, Hart Denton, de Faria, Rachel Matthews and Christian McGaffney.

Marking the directorial debut of Justin Matthews Luke Spencer Roberts, the co-writers of Amazon’s Upgraded, who also penned the script, The Duel is about a modern friend group falling apart and the craziest way to deal with it: by bringing back dueling.

Also starring Callan McAuliffe, the film watches as his character Woody finds out his best friend Colin (Sprouse) has been sleeping with his girlfriend, challenging him thereafter to an old-school duel. Now ensnared in this bizarre situation, their friend group becomes entangled with an eccentric antique shop owner (Patrick Warburton) obsessed with the past, a cocaine dealer, and a pig, taking them across the border to a mysterious and stunning estate.

Denny Love and Ronald Guttman also star.

The film is produced by Zachary Spicer, Gordon Strain, Joe Matthews and Justin Matthews. Spicer’s Indiana based Pigasus Pictures produced all principal photography.

Stated Grindstone Entertainment CEO Barry Brooker, “This movie is crazy fun, unpredictable and hilarious. Moviegoers will love spending time with these characters in this extremely funny story.”

de Faria’s previous credits include The Moodys, Deadly Class and Vikki RPM.