Dele Doherty reveals story behind “Landline” Prime Video production deal

Writer and director Dele Doherty has opened up about the journey that led to his feature film “Landline” being picked up for production by Prime Video.

The upcoming psychological thriller marks Doherty’s transition from shorts and commercials to a full-length project backed by a major streaming platform.

In a video shared on Instagram on April 3, Doherty recounted the film’s origin, describing how the idea was born out of a desire to create a story with limited characters and locations.

“In 2021, I had an idea for a feature film with minimal characters and minimal locations—and that was how ‘Landline’ was born,” he said. “I then shot a three-minute proof of concept which I showed to Prime after my pitch.”

The director explained that the pitch earned him a spot among a select few whose stories were approved for production in 2022. He added that he has always believed strong storytelling doesn’t depend on elaborate settings.

Doherty also highlighted his casting decisions, saying he was intentional about selecting actors who could carry the emotional weight of the story.

Set across just two locations and centred on three characters, “Landline” was shot in eight days. The film is scheduled for release on April 25.