Stormy Daniels Wraps Comeback Wicked Feature 'Hysteria'

LOS ANGELES—Back-in-the-saddle Wicked Pictures contract director and brand ambassador Stormy Daniels has wrapped production on erotic thriller Hysteria, her first project for the studio since head of production Axel Braun re-signed her in February. 

Headlined by reigning XRCO Unsung Siren Aiden Ashley, Daniels' cast features 2022 AVN Awards Trophy Girl Anna Claire Clouds, three-time AVN Best Actor and Gamma contract performer Seth Gamble, Ryan Driller, Casey Calvert, Charly Summer and more. 

"I have to admit I was nervous—it’s been four years since I last directed a feature," Daniels said. "So I went into this thinking, ‘I’ll ease myself in with a little two day shoot.’ But once I was reunited with my crew on-set, it was like we hadn’t missed a beat. I have the best crew, they are all incredibly gifted. As shooting progressed, we began adding more creative elements to the production. In true Stormy Daniels fashion, I found myself doing everything the hard way!”

Those creative elements include contributions from the mainstream side of Daniels’ career. “Our theme song is the original track 'Hysteria' by Deadsled Funeral Co. which is fronted by my Spooky Babes co-star Justin Loupe," she revealed. "He also knocked it out of the park as my special FX makeup artist by transforming Anna Claire Clouds into the scariest sexy monster I’ve seen.” (To date, Daniels has produced 13 episodes of Spooky Babes, which follows a team of paranormal investigators to reputed hotspots of such activity.)

"Stormy is so creative and such a consummate professional, there was no doubt in my mind that she would turn in a great feature," Braun commented. "She runs a tight ship and always treats her cast and crew with the utmost respect, which is why they are more than happy to give 110 percent to her projects. The atmosphere on the Hysteria set was really amazing, everybody was just elated to have her back and did their best to help her fulfill her vision for this awesome movie. As she’s proved over and over again, Stormy is an inspired writer, a massively talented director and literally a force to be reckoned with, and I am just immensely proud of her and thrilled to have her back where she belongs, with the Wicked family!”  

According to company promo materials, "Hysteria is the story of Anna (Ashley), an accomplished author, and Christine (Clouds), an artist. On the surface, this loving couple’s marriage appears to be harmonious and beautiful. But beneath this veneer of domestic bliss lurks an undercurrent of mistrust that threatens to consume their relationship.  

"For Anna, the pressure to deliver a new book to her publisher is compounded by the roadblocks she's encountering on her writing journey. Is her writer's block due to external factors like her disagreements with her supportive yet demanding literary agent Vicki (Calvert)? Or is her creative lull a manifestation of internal conflicts, self-doubt and creative exhaustion? Or, is the root cause something more ... otherworldly? Do the strange sounds she hears late at night have a rational explanation, or are they cryptic messages from the other side?"

“I was excited to work with some of the new talent,” Daniels enthused. “Which is why my cast is a blend of newer stars and veterans. Seth Gamble of course needs no introduction, he’s the best male actor in the industry, and I knew I wanted to work with Aiden Ashley again, she was brilliant and 100 percent authentic. And Anna Claire Clouds is, seriously, my favorite new actress. My crew had some new members as well—including the amazing James Avalon, with whom I’d never worked despite all my years in the business. It was a wonderful experience and his camerawork looks terrific!”

Crowned "the most famous pornstar in the world" by GQ, Daniels wrote, directed and starred in some of Wicked's most popular releases during her original 16-year tenure with the company, including Operation Desert Stormy, Wanted, Pretty Dangerous and Unbridled, and collected countless industry accolades, including Best New Starlet (AVN), Mainstream Media Favorite (XRCO) and Best Actress (NightMoves). 

Hysteria is slated for a Summer 2022 release.   

For more information, please visit wicked.com.