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Left for Dead

Logline: Out of the ashes of a forgotten world, a Drifter fights for survival while being relentlessly hunted across a dangerous landscape built on fire and blood.

Synopsis: In the barren aftermath of a world long since collapsed, our man, The Drifter roams the silent remnants of civilization—a lone figure navigating endless dust, scorched earth, and the echoes of what once was. Driven only by survival, he moves through the desolate Utah landscape like a ghost with no destination.
But solitude doesn't last forever.

One day, a single gunshot shatters the stillness. From the moment he glimpses the figure on the ridge—the Hunter—the Drifter knows he’s being marked. Tracked. Hunted. What begins as a game of distance quickly turns into a relentless pursuit. The Hunter is methodical, ruthless, and unshakable. Across arid plains, crumbling ghost towns, and red rock canyons, the Drifter runs, dodging bullets and fighting dehydration under a punishing sun. Yet no matter how far he goes, the Hunter is always there—waiting.

As the chase tightens, desperation gives way to defiance. With nowhere left to hide, the Drifter is forced into a final confrontation. In a brutal, blood-soaked climax, the two men collide—rage meeting resolve in a battle that strips both down to their core instincts.

Left for Dead is a visceral, atmospheric thriller about survival, obsession, and what remains when everything else is gone.

  • Ryan McDonald
    Writer
    Married and Loving It!
  • Ryan McDonald
    Director
    Married and Loving It!
  • Brandie Lee McDonald
    Producer
    Convicts and Chocolate
  • Danielle Bendinelli
    Producer
    Convicts and Chocolate
  • Ryan McDonald
    Producer
    Married and Loving It!
  • BJ Whimpey
    Producer
    Convicts and Chocolate
  • BJ Whimpey
    Key Cast
    "The Drifter"
    Convicts and Chocolate
  • Ryan McDonald
    Key Cast
    "The Hunter"
    Married and Loving It!
  • Charles Cook
    Key Cast
    "Immortal Renegade"
    Convicts and Chocolate
  • Dennis Record
    Key Cast
    "Crossbow Renegade"
    Ancient Evil: FrankenCock
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Action, suspense, Western, post apocalypse
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 30, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Ryan McDonald

Ryan McDonald is an award-winning independent writer, director, and producer in the Ogden, Utah area. In 2009 he graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Film and a Minor in Mass Communication.

In 2020, he made his feature film debut with the iPhone film, "Married and Loving It!" His feature went on to travel the globe in the festival circuit, collecting many awards along the way including Best Screenplay and Best Mobile Feature Film. "Married and Loving It!" is now available on Amazon Prime.

"Left for Dead," is his second feature film.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

With Left for Dead, I set out to make something bold, daring, and unapologetically raw—a film that drags you into a world on the edge of collapse and forces you to ask: What would you do to survive?

Blending the grit of a western with the tension of an apocalyptic thriller, this story is rooted in the chaos that comes when civilization falls and instincts take over. It’s action-packed and unrelenting, but at its core, Left for Dead is about the human will—the burning drive to keep going when everything, and everyone, has turned against you.

I’ve always been drawn to high-stakes stories, and with this film, I wanted to challenge myself creatively and push boundaries. From the desolate landscapes to the desperate characters, every choice was made to heighten that sense of suspense, isolation, and raw survival. The result is a world that feels both cinematic and brutally real.

This project was personal for me. It represents my desire to take risks—not just with story and genre, but with how we define resilience and grit on screen. I hope Left for Dead leaves audiences breathless, unsettled, and thinking about what it truly means to be alive when the world around you has already died.

- Ryan McDonald
Director, Left for Dead