New film The Last Grail Hunter, starring John Altman, to debut at London’s Raindance Film Festival this June.
Esteemed actor John Altman, best remembered for his role as “Nasty” Nick Cotton on EastEnders, has earned a Best Performance nomination at this year’s Raindance Film Festival. He stars in the dark, genre-blending British feature The Last Grail Hunter, which will premiere later this month.
The film is the brainchild of writer-director Mark Christopher Lee, who fuses elements of psychological horror, sci-fi, and religious conspiracy into a deeply layered tale of personal reckoning and virtual deception. Lee, whose previous credits include UFO documentaries and music projects, brings his signature offbeat style to this unique cinematic vision.
In what may be his most powerful performance to date, Altman plays Johnny Calvi—a fallen Grail hunter battling addiction and seeking salvation on his final mission. Plagued by visions and pursued by secretive forces, his journey through a collapsing world becomes a desperate search for truth in an increasingly digital existence. Rising star Johnny Raven makes his debut as the younger Calvi, adding emotional depth to the narrative.
The story unfolds in a post-apocalyptic Britain ruled behind the scenes by the shadowy Priory of Sion, who control the population through an immersive and deceptive virtual game. As the lines between real life and simulation blur, Johnny is forced to confront not just the game’s dark secrets, but his own.
The premiere of The Last Grail Hunter is set for 19 June 2025 at Vue Piccadilly, as part of Raindance’s Official UK Feature Selection.
Speaking on the experience, Altman shared: “I’m extremely happy to have been nominated for Best Performance. I’ve known Mark through music for years, and one day he rang me up with this wild idea for a film. I love working on projects that are offbeat and push the boundaries. We shot the entire thing over four intense days in London and St Albans – it was a whirlwind but a great experience.”
Produced by Nub Films, the project emerged from a most unexpected place—Lee’s dream. The director elaborated: “It was a mad dream and Roger Corman who is one of my B Movie heroes basically mapped out this plot which is like an esoteric road trip through London and ends in a haunted woods. I wrote it all down and called John Altman the next day and told him – he loved the idea and we made the film in 4 days.”
