Award-winning filmmaker Jerrold Tarog is making his return to the horror genre with the upcoming psychological-horror film “Knock Three Times.”
The project first gained international attention after it was featured by Variety, which reported its submission to the ATF x EST N8 Horror Pitch 2025, a collaborative feature-film initiative between the Asia TV Forum and Market and EST Studios that supports horror projects with strong Asian elements.
In December 2025, the film was named among the official finalists of the initiative alongside several Asian horror titles.
According to the project’s official logline on the ATF website, the story follows Jo, a young woman returning home after rehab in hopes of healing, only to discover that her mother has fallen under the influence of a sinister antique mirror. As the mirror feeds on vulnerability and manipulates Jo’s deepest fears and desires, she is forced to confront her past in a desperate attempt to save her mother before both of them are consumed by darkness.
“What excited me about ‘Knock Three Times’ is its emotional core,” Tarog said, as quoted by Variety. “Horror is most powerful when grounded in human vulnerability, and this film explores how trauma opens doors—sometimes literally—to forces we can’t control.”
Tarog is producing the film alongside filmmaker-producer Real Florido and RJ Agustin, CEO and president of CreaZion Studios.
Florido previously shared that the idea for the film was inspired by a childhood experience during one of Manila’s frequent power outages, when he witnessed teenage girls performing a mirror ritual that abruptly ended after all their candles simultaneously went out.
“I see ‘Knock Three Times’ as an opportunity to merge Filipino folklore with a level of cinematic psychological tension that international audiences appreciate,” Tarog added. “It’s intimate, atmospheric, and built around a universal fear: what we might summon when we confront the things we’re not yet ready to face.”
Agustin echoed the filmmaker’s sentiments, saying the project reflects Filipino culture and storytelling while carrying themes that resonate globally.
“It’s a film rooted in our culture, our memories, and our people, yet its themes of fear, family, and survival are universal,” he said.
The film also boasts a star-studded cast led by Julia Barretto, Charo Santos-Concio, Christopher de Leon, and Anthony Labrusca.
“This casting marks an exciting step forward for ‘Knock Three Times’ as we bring together an exceptional team of artists,” Agustin said. “At CreaZion, we are committed to championing bold, filmmaker-driven works that elevate Southeast Asian storytelling — stories that are deeply rooted in our culture yet resonate far beyond our borders.”
Additional casting announcements and production timeline details are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
“Knock Three Times” marks Tarog’s first horror project since the 2017 psychological thriller Bliss. Since then, the acclaimed director has focused on his “Bayaniverse” historical film trilogy, which includes Heneral Luna, Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, and the upcoming Quezon.
