June 12, 2015 - 13:27 AMT
Sony Pictures nabs Ashley Benson cyber-suspense thriller “Ratter”

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has acquired worldwide rights to Branden Kramer’s cyber-suspense thriller “Ratter”, which stars Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”), Variety reports.

“Ratter” debuted at the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival and will screen Sunday, June 14, at the Los Angeles Film Festival in the Nightfall section.

Kramer directed from his own script, based on the short film “Webcam,” which has been viewed more than 6 million times on Vimeo. Benson stars as a graduate student living alone in New York City, where she’s watched by a “ratter” who stalks her by hacking into all of her personal technology, eventually going from virtual stalking to physical stalking.

The film also stars Matt McGorry (“Orange is the New Black”) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (“The Switch”).

“Ratter” is financed by Start Media and produced by David Bausch, Jamie Zelermyer and Ben Browning. Executive producers are Michael Maher, Sarah Shepard, Matt Levin, Evelynda Rivera, Stefan Haverkamp, Jan Jaworski and Thomas Kropp.

Zac Bright and Marc Bortz of Preferred Content, along with Mette-Marie Katz and Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films and Bethany Haynes of Sloss Eckhouse LawCo brokered the deal on behalf of the filmmakers with SPWA.

Photo: Branded Kramer