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Avan Jogia is expanding his creative horizons beyond acting, taking on directing duties for his feature film debut with Replacer, an ambitious psycho-sexual horror project co-written alongside his fiancée Halsey. The film marks a significant career evolution for the Canadian actor known for his role in the Amazon Prime Video thriller 56 Days, which premiered on February 18, 2026, alongside Dove Cameron and starring Karla Souza. With Lilly Wachowski executive producing Replacer, Jogia is positioning himself as a multifaceted artist in an increasingly competitive entertainment landscape.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Avan Jogia’s feature directorial debut is Replacer, a psycho-sexual horror film announced May 13, 2026
- 56 Days premiered February 18, 2026 on Prime Video with ratings of 6.7/10 on IMDb and executive production by James Wan
- Halsey co-writes and stars in Replacer, marking her first major film project as a writer and lead actress collaboration
- Jogia made his directorial debut in 2011 with the short film Alex, establishing early creative ambitions
- Production for Replacer begins late August 2026 in Montreal, with genre described as primal horror
From Acting to Directing: Jogia’s Creative Evolution
Avan Jogia, born February 9, 1992, in Vancouver, began his career as a child actor at age 10 in a school production. His first professional role came in 2006 with the award-winning TV movie A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story. For nearly two decades, Jogia built a substantial acting resume spanning television series like Victorious and films including Zombieland: Double Tap, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (where he played Leon S. Kennedy in 2021), and Tut alongside Sir Ben Kingsley. His earliest directorial work emerged in 2011 with the short film Alex, signaling an early interest in filmmaking beyond acting. However, the transition to a full feature directorial debut required the right project, which appears to have arrived with Replacer.
56 Days provided Jogia with one of his highest-profile acting roles in recent years. The Prime Video series, based on Catherine Ryan Howard’s 2022 bestselling novel of the same name, presents Jogia as Oliver, opposite Dove Cameron’s Ciara. The premise follows a couple who meet by chance in a supermarket and embark on an intense romance during the COVID-19 pandemic, only for their relationship to take a deadly turn. Executive produced by James Wan, known for the Saw and Conjuring franchises, the series combines erotic thriller elements with psychological investigation. This high-visibility project kept Jogia in the spotlight while he developed his directorial vision for Replacer.
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Avan Jogia talks directing debut, 56 Days success, and new psycho-sexual horror film Replacer with fiancée Halsey
Replacer: A Psycho-Sexual Horror Collaboration with Halsey
Announced on May 13, 2026, Replacer represents a bold creative partnership between Jogia and his fiancée Halsey, best known for her music career as a pop recording artist. The project is described as a “psycho-sexual horror” film exploring primal, genre-mashing storytelling. The film will be shot in Montreal beginning in late August 2026, running through late September. Halsey has been cast to play a DJ haunted by a mysterious sound, putting her in a lead acting role alongside her writing credits. The collaboration positions her as more than a music entrepreneur; this film signals a serious expansion into acting and screenwriting.
Lilly Wachowski, known for her groundbreaking work on The Matrix franchise, is attached as executive producer, lending significant prestige to the project. The involvement of a filmmaker of Wachowski’s caliber suggests a commitment to substantive, character-driven horror with thematic depth. Additional producers include Anthony Li, Lawrence Mattis, Sarah Flores, Christopher Renteria, and Emily McCann Lesser. This ensemble of creative voices points toward ambitious storytelling at the intersection of personal relationships and genre, an approach that has gained traction in contemporary horror cinema.
Career Trajectory and Industry Recognition
| Career Milestone | Year | Project |
| Acting debut | 2006 | A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (TV movie) |
| Directorial debut (short) | 2011 | Alex (short film) |
| Major TV role | 2010-2013 | Victorious (Nickelodeon series) |
| Film prominence | 2021 | Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (Leon S. Kennedy) |
| Streaming prestige | 2026 | 56 Days (Prime Video lead role) |
| Feature directorial debut | 2026 | Replacer (psycho-sexual horror) |
Jogia has maintained steady industry presence across television and film throughout the 2010s and 2020s. His estimated net worth stands at approximately $1 million, reflecting years of consistent work in major productions. Unlike many child actors, Jogia successfully transitioned into adult roles without major career interruptions. His ability to balance acting with creative ambitions—demonstrated by his early short film work—positions him distinctly in an industry where many actors never fully pursue directing ambitions. The timing of Replacer suggests he has reached a point in his career where directorial opportunities align with his artistic goals.
The Significance of Creative Partnership in Modern Entertainment
Jogia’s collaboration with Halsey on Replacer reflects a broader trend in contemporary entertainment: partnerships between actors and musicians breaking traditional medium boundaries. Halsey has already ventured into film acting, appearing in MaXXXine (the third installment in Ti West’s X trilogy), demonstrating crossover credibility. However, co-writing and starring in a feature alongside her fiancé directing represents a much deeper commitment to filmmaking as an artistic discipline rather than a pastime project. This model—where creative partners collaborate across writing, directing, and acting duties—has succeeded in independent and prestige horror cinema, creating projects with distinctive voices.
The horror genre has become a proving ground for emerging filmmakers because it offers creative freedom, production efficiency, and audience engagement potential. By securing a producer of Lilly Wachowski’s stature and shooting in Montreal (a major production hub with tax incentives), Jogia is working at a budgetary level beyond typical indie horror. This suggests studio or major independent backing, positioning Replacer as having meaningful resources and distribution potential upon completion.
What Comes Next for Jogia in 2026 and Beyond?
With Replacer shooting in late August through September 2026, Jogia is navigating a demanding dual timeline: promoting a major streaming hit in 56 Days while directing his feature film debut. This level of simultaneous visibility—as both a leading actor in prestige television and a first-time feature director—is less common than one might expect. Most actors either maintain a robust acting schedule or step away temporarily to focus on direction. Jogia’s parallel approach suggests confidence in both projects and an investment in establishing his directorial voice while his acting profile remains elevated.
The reception to both 56 Days and Replacer will significantly influence Jogia’s trajectory. 56 Days has already accumulated 10,477 audience ratings on IMDb with a 6.7/10 score, indicating respectable viewership and critical engagement. If Replacer attracts festival recognition or strong audience reception upon completion, Jogia could establish himself as a filmmaker to watch while maintaining his acting roles in prestige projects. Alternatively, if the film performs exceptionally well, it might accelerate his transition toward directing as a primary focus.
The entertainment industry continues to value auteurs who can both perform and create stories; Jogia’s pathway demonstrates how established actors leverage their industry access and financial resources to pursue directorial ambitions. Whether Replacer becomes a festival darling, finds theatrical distribution, or streams on a major platform remains to be seen, but the project’s assembly of talent and resources suggests serious artistic intentions.
Sources
- Deadline – Announced Replacer’s development with casting and creative team details (May 13, 2026)
- Rolling Stone – Covered Replacer’s “genre mashing” approach and Jogia’s directorial involvement
- IMDb – Provided filmography, budgetry, and ratings data for both 56 Days and Replacer
- Wikipedia – Documented Jogia’s directorial debut with short film Alex in 2011
- Rotten Tomatoes – Verified Jogia’s birth date and early career timeline
- Bloody Disgusting – Reported plot details for Replacer and Halsey’s involvement as co-writer
