EXCLUSIVE: Actor and filmmaker Madison De La Garza has completed production on her debut feature, Sara Sarita, a horror film starring Michael Madsen in one of his final big-screen performances.
The film is inspired by Mexican folklore. Starring alongside Madsen are Spencer Breslin (The Happening), Michael Paré (Eddie and the Cruisers), and Kaili Thorne (Nightmare Shark).
The film was co-directed, written, and produced by Kate Queen. Set at Camp Marigold, the story follows a young woman who uncovers a dark family secret tied to an ancient spirit known as Sara Sarita — the daughter of the devil.
Production told us Madsen took part in the shoot just two weeks before his passing. Work on the film was temporarily halted and later resumed in his honor.
“This film is not just about facing your fears, it’s also about finding yourself,” La Garza said in a statement. “We wanted to tell a story that honors Mexican folklore while confronting death and grief.”
La Garza is best known for her work as a child actor. She played Juanita Solis, the daughter of Eva Longoria’s Gabrielle Solis, on the long-running Desperate Housewives and featured on the Bad Teacher series adaptation. She is also the younger singer of musician and actor Demi Lovato.
Sara Sarita is executive produced by James Cullen Bressack (Darkness of Man) and produced by Kate Queen under Queen Studios. Filming took place in Ohio this fall. The film is currently in post-production and is slated for a Halloween 2026 debut.