Flula Borg and Troy Kotsur wrap Los Angeles shoot on satirical horror film “The American Winner,” debut feature from Farbod Ardebili

Flula Borg and Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur have wrapped production on the Los Angeles shoot of “The American Winner,” a satirical horror film from Iranian writer-director Farbod Ardebili. The project marks Ardebili’s feature debut, according to Deadline, and brings together Borg, known for roles tied to the “Pitch Perfect” franchise, and Kotsur, who won the Academy Award for his performance in “CODA.”

Deadline reports that the film’s storyline follows a megalomaniacal tech billionaire portrayed by Borg, whose power extends beyond personal influence into financial and market manipulation carried out from his residence. The central premise positions the character’s control as the engine of the film’s horror satire, with the script framing threats and consequences through the billionaire’s attempt to dominate systems from within home boundaries.

Ardebili is credited as the writer-director, and the production is described as having completed its Los Angeles phase of filming. Deadline characterizes the film as Ardebili’s debut feature and describes him as being behind prior work connected to Bad Grey and Plain Text, indicating an established writing background before this move into feature-length directing.

The cast and production news arrives as the industry continues to lean into genre blends, where horror elements are used to underscore social and economic anxieties. In this case, the satirical framing centers on tech and finance rather than on conventional monster-story mechanics, according to the description of the plot, with the billionaire’s market manipulation presented as a threat to broader order and stability.

While specific release timing, distribution plans, and additional cast members were not included in the Deadline report, the wrap of principal photography in Los Angeles indicates the production has moved into post-production. That next phase typically includes editing, visual effects, sound design, and music work, with final deliverables needed for marketing rollouts and distributor schedules.

Borg’s involvement also links the project to a performer with experience in commercial comedy and musical-leaning ensemble work, while Kotsur’s presence reflects a track record in grounded, character-driven storytelling at the awards level. Together, the two lead performances are expected to shape the film’s tone, balancing satire and horror mechanics around the billionaire plotline described by Deadline.

For filmmakers and industry workers involved in the Los Angeles shoot, a wrap generally triggers the labor and scheduling transitions that affect crews and post-production teams, including the transfer of footage for editorial and technical processing. For audiences, the production milestone indicates that “The American Winner” is progressing toward eventual release, though no premiere date was provided in the report.