‘Eyes in the Trees’ Producer Says He’s Being Extorted Over His Anthony Hopkins Footage

Anthony Hopkins’ latest indie film “Eyes in the Trees” has found itself at the center of a FBI complaint.

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Producer Daemon Hillin first told Deadline that he is being extorted over 18 minutes of unedited footage from the feature that was allegedly obtained through hacking. The footage includes all of Hopkins’ scenes that were filmed in Los Angeles in 2023; the movie received a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement waiver to remain in production. Hillin said a “Korean Zombie address” has sent him “disturbing and very detailed emails.”

The emails, obtained by IndieWire, demand $200,000 in cryptocurrency. Hillin says he’s not paying.

One email reads, in part: “We will also send clips of your project to potential major buyers in the market . we will  email bomb  them through filters with your content  i.e. Netflix, Amazon, peacock, sony, AMC, Lionsgate, Blumhouse. We have emails to all the strategic people in charge of content acquisitions in  those companies.”

(Note: spacing and other errors are from the original email.)

The threat continues, “All these companies and people  will be tagged in our posts on X if we release your project. It would be better for you to save your investment and pay what we are asking for. […] I advise you not to doubt our threats, then it will be too late for you to recover your project. I advise you not to test our force. […] We have the opportunity to destroy this project. Next time we’ll feature a world exclusive  screening of this project.”

The account listed in the email has already posted screenshots of the film starring Hopkins on X.

Hillin told IndieWire that still despite the post on X, “We stand by our decision not to pay the extortionist. We are indie film makers, we are resilient and will deliver an amazing film.”

The emails to Hillin and other “Eyes in the Trees” producers, including Artisha Mann-Cooper and Sasha Yelaun, gave them a payment deadline of July 22. Hillin contacted the FBI and the Santa Monica Police Department, as well as Senator Benjamin Allen, Assembly Rick Chaves, and Congressman Ted Lieu with the case.

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“Eyes in the Trees” is an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The Island of Dr. Moreau.” The story follows two renowned filmmakers and their crew who embark on a journey of discovery, only to find their excursion turned into a fight for survival for not just themselves, but the entire human race.

The film is co-written by B. Harrison Smith and Mike Manning, with Timothy Woodward Jr. directing. BGG Capital and Landon B. Gorman are financing the feature, which was formally announced earlier this year.

“We’re making this movie no matter what,” Hillin told Deadline. “They’re not going to stop us. And we are resilient. It’s not the first time I’ve been extorted, and it probably won’t be the last time I’ve been extorted. So we’re moving on. The most important thing was to call my financiers to let them know what’s going on. And with their support, that’s the way we’re making this movie. I’m blessed that these people believe in us, believe in me, and believe in the project.”

He added that the leaked footage is not indicative of the film overall.

“Our film is going to be something completely different than what the string of Anthony Hopkin’s scenes are going to be,” Hillin said. “They took unedited footage to try to ruin us. The magic of the movie is the artistic people behind it that are going to put it together. I don’t think [the breach] is going to devalue the movie at all.”

Hillin’s eponymous production company has predominantly produced horror films set in Thailand. He told Deadline that “Eyes in the Trees” will additionally film there as well in the fall after Monsoon season.

Hopkins recently led Peacock series “Those About to Die.”