‘The Office’ Favorite Stars in Trailer for School Shooting Thriller

Todd Wiseman Jr.’s film The School Duel has acquired a distributor in Altered Innocence. As reported exclusively by IndieWire, the deal is being brokered by Anthony Buckner of Alliance Media Partners for North American theaters, with a release scheduled for spring 2026. Alliance is no stranger to unconventional films, having previously overseen the releases of movies such as The People’s Joker directed by Vera Drew, The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo by Alexi Langlois, and the 4K re-release of Taxi zum Klo. More than anything, though, it’s the dark premise of The School Duel that will ignite discussion.

The synopsis for the movie reads as follows: “The School Duel tells the story of a near-future Florida where school shootings are so common, the AR-15 toting governor (Oscar Nuñez) has mandated that a contest to the death be organized to pit troubled or at-risk students against each other. The idea is that these fights to the death will weed out potential future mass shooters.” It’s a chilling outline that feels incredibly timely given today’s sociopolitical climate, and even more off-putting given that it puts Nuñez, who is known for his role in the beloved comedy The Office, in an intense new role.

Also in the film is Kue Lawrence, who delivers an unsettling performance as Samuel Miller, a seventh-grade student who is taken in by a less-than-reputable mentor (played by Michael Sean Tighe) to compete in the violent and deadly contest. Christina Brucato is also in The School Duel as Sam’s mother, Beth. The indie release is unsurprisingly self-financed, keeping in line with previous films acquired by Altered Innocence, and continues their streak of bringing bold narratives to audiences. The trailer for The School Duel can be viewed below.

‘The School Duel’ is Set to Be One of the Most Bold and Captivating Films of 2026

The trailer for the movie was originally released six months ago, and it depicts a frightening version of an America set to a speech from Nuñez’s character about American pride. It’s a fast-paced trailer, with flashing images of intense and frightening violence. Moreover, the fact that it features young children in situations of grounded and realistic violence only makes it that much scarier. Reminiscent of films like Battle Royale and The Hunger Games, The School Duel is shaping up to be a project that will provide an exaggerated reflection of the problems that plague Americans today.

A statement released by Frank Jaffe, founder of Altered Innocence, reads: “We’re thrilled to bring The School Duel to North American audiences. Todd has crafted something bold and fearless — a film that both shocks and moves you in equal measure. Fans of films like The Hunger Games and Battle Royale finally now have something else to feast on!” Equal parts commentary and bold entertainment, The School Duel is scheduled for release in Spring 2026. After a positive reception in its limited festival run, it will be interesting to see the wide audience reaction when it’s released in theaters.