The Plague

The international campaign for The Plague centred on the boys in the pool – a powerful image that captured the film’s psychological unease. For Australia and New Zealand, the strategic opportunity was different. While the story unfolds through the brutal hierarchy of a summer water polo camp, the film’s broader appeal lies in Joel Edgerton’s commanding performance, and this is the hook to bolster a theatrical release. Rialto Distribution engaged Carnival Studio to create a local poster that retained the moody, foreboding tone, while foregrounding its most commercial asset: Joel.

The challenge: we had access to just one approved image of Joel.

Using additional photographic textures and carefully referencing the film’s aquatic grade, we built a key art execution that preserved the eeriness, elevated the film’s critical acclaim, and positioned it squarely for upmarket psychological thriller audiences.

It’s a strong example of how Carnival Studio partners with distributors to not simply roll out international assets, but to strategically evolve the campaign for local impact.