Maria Bakalova to Lead Christmas Eve Suspense Thriller ‘No Way Off’

Maria Bakalova, known for her breakout role in Bodies Bodies Bodies, is set to star in the single-location suspense thriller No Way Off, alongside Peter Mullan (Baghead), as reported by Variety. The chilling story takes place aboard a bus traveling deep into the wilderness on Christmas Eve.

Written by Gaby Hull and directed by Brian Kelly (Downton Abbey, Dracula), No Way Off follows Laura (Bakalova), a weary young mother traveling alone with her infant son. When she boards the bus, the driver is wearing a bizarre latex Santa mask. Exhausted, Laura collapses into her seat and soon falls asleep. However, when she wakes, it’s nighttime, and the bus is speeding along a deserted motorway, far off its usual route. To make matters worse, she is now the only passenger left aboard, with the driver—and a sleeping baby—her only company. As the situation grows increasingly tense, Laura realizes she must outsmart the sinister driver if she hopes to survive.

Director Brian Kelly shared his excitement about the project, saying, “My dreams have come true. No Way Off has a brilliant cast and a killer script. I can’t wait to enjoy the ride.”

The film draws inspiration from other claustrophobic thrillers such as The Shallows, Crawl, and Buried, offering a suspense-filled ride with a creepy, high-stakes twist—being trapped on a moving bus with a dangerous man in a Santa suit.

This is not Bakalova’s only upcoming genre project. She is also set to star in God’s Country, a psychological thriller produced by Matt Reeves (The Batman) and directed by Sputnik’s Egor Abramenko.

No Way Off is being produced by Matthew James Wilkinson (Yesterday) under his Stigma Films banner. The film is being introduced to international buyers this week at the American Film Market (AFM), so stay tuned for more updates on this chilling thriller.