Oddly enough, this first look comes courtesy of the NBC Store, and it gives us a glimpse at a chilly Winter landscape from the film. Is there a werewolf hiding in the photo? Maybe…

Set in 13th century England, Werwulf sees a mysterious creature stalk the land as local folklore becomes a terrifying reality. The film hits theaters on December 25 via Focus Features.

Eggers directs from a script he penned with his The Northman co-writer Sjón.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nosferatu), Lily-Rose Depp (Nosferatu), Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse), Ralph Ineson (The Witch), and Bodhi Rae Breathnach (Hamnet) star.

Robert Eggers and Sjón produce alongside Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner for Working Title. Maiden Voyage’s Chris Columbus and Eleanor Columbus are executive producing.

The post ‘Werwulf’ – Chilly First Look at New Werewolf Nightmare from Director Robert Eggers appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

It doesn’t take long for Troll Hunter (or Trolljegeren) to dump the Blair Witch Project-esque setup and aim for something a lot fresher. The trajectory of the story is augmented by Otto Jespersen’s character Hans, the titular Troll Hunter. The second he comes barreling out of the deep, dark woods and shouts “troll” at the camera, this movie takes a turn into what feels like uncharted territory. Not only subject-wise, but also conceptually.

For fantastical and made-up subject matter in cinema, found footage is a fast way to add a guise of believability. After all, what we accept to be the most crucial aspect of documentaries—the truth—rubs off on pseudo-documentaries, despite our understanding of the pretense involved. That is what Øvredal delivered with Troll Hunter: a movie so convincing that some viewers wondered if trolls really do exist. So, had this been straightforwardly made, it likely wouldn’t have been as effective. Conventional narratives would be more inclined to treat something like trolls as flat out unreal, and never try to convince the audience to think otherwise.

Hans petrifies the three-headed Tusseladd troll.

The viewers, like the characters trailing Hans, are quickly thrown into the deeper end of that extraordinary story. They have to process all this new information while staying on the go. So, although there is no significant amount of meandering, narratively or physically, there is still a good amount of atmosphere, not to mention tension building. It’s never anything frightful, but then again, Troll Hunter isn’t your standard offering of horror; it’s more on the low end of the dark fantasy spectrum. We aren’t ever spirited away to a faraway world—we stay in rather familiar surroundings, as well as dip into those less so. The outcome is a movie where you’re constantly more in awe than in terror.

As fantasy fiction might do, Troll Hunter prefers not to deal with incredulity. There is no time to waste on doubt, as interviewer Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), soundperson Johanna (Johanna Mørck), and cameraman Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen) all follow Hans around, recording whatever this character is willing to reveal about his bizarre job. Of course, the Troll Hunter himself is not an open book; in that respect, the diegetic documentary fails to fully capture and unpack the more interesting of its two subjects. Yes, all those giant, monstrous trolls are indeed incredible, but understandably, your mind wanders to their pursuer. What kind of person signs up for this gig and then chooses to stick with it for so long?

Reviews have called out Troll Hunter for its lack of character development. In regard to Thomas and his fellow documentarians, that criticism is valid, but bear in mind, they aren’t the focus of the story, either. Meanwhile, Hans is a well-crafted character. At least better than first realized. Before he was introduced, Hans had already grown tired of the troll grind. Fed up with that low compensation for his services, resentful of the bureaucracy, and wanting to expose his employer on a large scale, Hans’ discontent is glaring.

Then there are those finer details about the Troll Hunter, such as that indifference to both the natural splendor of his everyday surroundings and the affections of an obviously smitten colleague, that also suggest some level of despondency. So it is fair to say this movie doesn’t feature any sizable growth for its characters; however, the namesake isn’t underwritten. No doubt, putting a real-life character like Otto Jespersen in that role is partly why Hans is so fascinating—maybe even relatable.

Otto Jespersen as Hans the Troll Hunter.

There is always a small risk whenever using the term “mockumentary” to describe a found-footage movie, as the word could imply humor where there is none. In the case of Troll Hunter, the term’s usage is appropriate. Some folks have claimed the English-dubbed version has the more comedic tone, however, the Norwegian cut isn’t exactly humorless. Apart from the trolls’ absurd appearances, this is a movie where the characters nearly choke on the monsters’ farts, and Christians are like walking targets. Hans’ complete apathy towards everything is another cause of laughter. Overall, the comedy is intentionally dry and inconsistent. Unfunny, though? Absolutely not.

In a movie where endemic creatures are maltreated, as well as disavowed from living freely and peacefully, it’s hard not to notice the ecological message buried beneath the story. In addition to that is the unmistakable political satire. There is this whole business about intrusive and unsightly power lines—like trolls, they’re big blemishes on the land—that leads to what is perhaps the movie’s funniest moment. The scene in question is that one where certain electric lines, the ones secretly being used to keep the trolls at bay, go in a loop and don’t actually send power to any residents. Yet the monitors of said lines don’t find this at all weird. So it stands to reason that Øvredal was having a go at those who accept the government’s doings without question.

Looking past the fact that trolls aren’t actually real, this movie is an enlightening source of information. And not just for international audiences; Norwegians, too, get schooled about their homeland’s own mythology. It’s also evident from everything on screen that Øvredal and his crew were enthusiastic about the topic. The creature designs are the most indicative of that zeal; those imaginative yet myth-accurate manifestations are equally amusing and grotesque. One second you’re laughing at their phallic noses, the next you’re white-knuckling during a hairy sequence. Most surprisingly is how well the trolls’ visual effects hold up after fifteen years. It’s not all spotless, but on the whole, they remain impressive.

Vouching for a mockumentary about trolls isn’t easy, but those who do come around and give it a shot will more than likely be grateful for the recommendation. For Troll Hunter is a real find in that vast and varied genre we call “found footage“.

A bridge troll reaches up for food and finds Hans decked out in armor.

The post André Øvredal’s ‘Troll Hunter’ Remains One of the Best Found Footage Movies appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

For those not in the know, Doctor Viscera is a throwback survival horror title with PSX-inspired visuals, where you must escape the abandoned GrimmHaus Asylum. You must explore the asylum’s various rooms, find useful items, and solve puzzles to unlock new areas and discover escape routes. At the same time, you’ll need to be on the lookout for the Doctor and his grotesque experiments.

The biggest addition to the Definitive Edition is the Nurse, a brand-new enemy who will actively pursue players throughout the campaign. Although slower than the eponymous doctor, the nurse introduces a completely different gameplay dynamic by using ranged attacks with a firearm, forcing players to rethink their routes, strategies, and survival tactics.

Under certain circumstances, you can disarm the Nurse, creating entirely new situations and possibilities within the game.

Doctor Viscera: Definitive Edition also introduces a new area to the map, featuring a tram system. In addition to serving as a new exploration route, it can also be used to quickly escape pursuers and travel between different sections of the asylum.

The update also brings improvements across multiple aspects of the experience, including:

• Level design changes
• Puzzle redesigns
• Performance optimizations
• New immersive audio system
• Controller support
• New menu interfaces

If you’re looking to check out the game before buying it, you can check out the demo that’s also available on Steam.

The post Definitive Edition of Throwback Survival Horror Game ‘Doctor Viscera’ Launches June 23 [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In the post-World War II era, Hollywood began to take science fiction seriously. This genre that was once relegated to low-budget serials and dismissed as “children’s fare” was beginning to be understood as a way to tell sophisticated stories while simultaneously making pointed social and political commentary.

Writers and filmmakers became acutely aware that they could discuss whatever issues they wanted—race, nuclear war, class disparities, the effects of mass media, environmental concerns, and much more—just as long as they told a great story along the way and kept audiences entertained. 1951 was a banner year for this new brand of science fiction, with The Thing from Another World, When Worlds Collide, and The Day the Earth Stood Still all hitting the screen.

The Day the Earth Stood Still taps into early 1950’s flying saucer fever while also examining who we are and, more importantly, who we could be. The premise of the film is simple. A flying saucer lands on a baseball field adjacent to the White House in Washington, D.C. A man named Klaatu (Michael Rennie) steps out of the vehicle and declares that he comes in peace but is immediately met by fear and violence. Gort (Lock Martin), the robot that accompanies him, vaporizes the weapons, including tanks and artillery, that the military has brought to surround the ship, a display that forces Klaatu into hiding. When he is finally able to deliver his message, it is a warning.

Klaatu and his people have observed that humanity’s violent tendencies are beginning to reach beyond the confines of planet Earth and threaten its intergalactic neighbors. “Your choice is simple,” Klaatu declares, “join us and live in peace or pursue your present course and face obliteration.”

Connections Between The Day the Earth Stood Still and Disclosure Day

In the film, this obliteration would come at the hands, or vaporizing beam, of Gort, a kind of intergalactic enforcer, but in the real world, the threat comes from within. Though the film appears to be a “the threat is out there” picture at first blush, it is actually a “we are the monsters” movie. It makes this point in several ways, most of which remain shockingly relevant seventy-five years after the film’s original release.

Though The Day the Earth Stood Still was released at the dawn of the television revolution, it was practically prophetic in depicting the ways that mass media would be used and abused in times of uncertainty and crisis. News reports quickly evolve from reporting facts to spreading fear about the visitors and spinning out wild conspiracy theories. Newspapers print images of Gort attacking people as they run screaming, though up to that point, he had only destroyed weapons and left humans unharmed. A radio announcer declares Klaatu to be a monster that must be hunted down like a rabid animal and destroyed. Rumors quickly spread that he, though completely human in appearance, has tentacles and three eyes.

The film’s commentary on mass media personally made me reflect further on my recent viewing of Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day (2026) and its depictions of media, which are surprisingly less cynical than those found in The Day the Earth Stood Still. In both films, there is a trust in the information sources, something that was largely true in the early 1950s, but Spielberg’s depiction that people would believe the evidence of their eyes and ears is viewed by some as naïve. I must admit my own reluctance to believe this would be the case in our age of deep-fakes and the barrage of A.I.-generated images that flood social media. I would love to believe that he is right, and the world would literally stand still in rapt attention as a major network reveals such long-hidden secrets, but I am doubtful.

Even in The Day the Earth Stood Still, there is a sense of this cynicism. Klaatu is told by Mr. Harley (Frank Conroy), the President’s special secretary, that gathering the leaders of the countries of the world in one place would be impossible. He produces messages in which the Soviet Premier demands the meeting occur in Moscow, while the Prime Minister of Britain refuses to attend unless it is held in Washington. Though the people of Earth seem to believe that an alien has in fact landed, proving that we are not alone in the universe, they still cannot put aside petty squabbles to hear what Klaatu has to say. I hate to say it, but I believe this still rings true in our increasingly divided nation and world.

In order to gain the attention of the world, Klaatu consults a scientist, Professor Barnhardt (Sam Jaffe), who admits that people are reluctant to listen to scientists, a point that has unfortunately become increasingly true in the ensuing years. Barnhardt suggests that Klaatu perform a display of power that does not hurt any humans to convince influential people from around the world to hear his message. Klaatu devises a plan to literally make the earth stand still by suspending power of all kinds—electrical, mechanical, combustion, etc.—for exactly half an hour at the same time across the entire globe. The exceptions are just as remarkable: hospitals, airplanes in flight, and other vital operations. But still, despite the care he takes not to harm anyone, the fear of Klaatu and Gort only increases.

Klaatu as Science Fiction’s Christ Figure

A powerful detail of The Day the Earth Stood Still is that the first visitor to our planet from another world is very much like us. After Klaatu is injured by a frightened soldier who thinks a gift to the people of the world is a weapon, he is taken for examination at Walter Reed Hospital. This examination reveals that he is essentially human in every way. His organs all function the same as a healthy young man’s, indicating that his planet has a similar atmosphere and pressure. The differences are just as striking. Though he appears to be in his mid-30’s, Klaatu is 78 years old, and his people have a life expectancy of 130 years along with a vastly superior intellect.

He is proof that humans are capable of bettering themselves by living in peace with one another. Rather than expending energy on war, destruction, and the pursuit of money and power, Klaatu’s people have focused on reason, mathematics, and sciences. Though not mentioned in the film, I imagine (or hope) that they also value history, the arts, and all those pursuits that we would call “the humanities.” To make this point inescapable, the film depicts Klaatu as an ideal to strive for, even a kind of Christ figure: a teacher of peace who is killed, resurrects, delivers one final message to those gathered to listen, and ascends back into the heavens.

To draw another Spielberg parallel, there are hints of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) in The Day the Earth Stood Still, including these Christlike parallels. After escaping Walter Reed, Klaatu, posing as Mr. Carpenter (see what they did there?), befriends a young boy, Bobby Benson (Billy Gray), whose father, like Elliot’s in E.T., is absent, in this case, killed in the War. Klaatu eventually reveals who he is to Bobby’s mother, Helen (Patricia Neal), who assists him in escaping back to his ship. Klaatu, worried that Gort will destroy the city or even more if he is harmed, tells Helen to deliver the famous words “Klaatu Barada Nikto” to Gort if anything should happen to him.

Klaatu is shot and taken to a jail cell, where he is declared dead. Gort, sensing Klaatu has been harmed, vaporizes the two soldiers guarding the ship and is about to continue his rampage when Helen, though fearful, is able to deliver the words to stop him (it’s a good thing she wasn’t Ash Williams). Gort brings Helen aboard the ship before retrieving Klaatu’s body from the cell. Back on the ship, Klaatu is revived by a medical device and delivers his ultimatum to the leaders of the world.

Why Klaatu’s Warning Still Matters Today

There has been much discourse about the final word uttered in Disclosure Day by Emily Blunt’s character Margaret Fairchild—“Listen.” But I believe The Day the Earth Stood Still poses a similar challenge. After giving the option of peace or obliteration, Klaatu says, “We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you,” leaving humankind to rest in the conundrum.

Where Disclosure Day requests, The Day the Earth Stood Still demands, but I fear its demand has fallen on deaf ears. We have continued to seek power over peace, wars and rumors of wars have only increased, and as Klaatu says in the film, we have continued to “substitute fear for reason.”

The Day the Earth Stood Still does not come across as a cynical film, though I fear I have painted it as such. There is a great amount of hope in it. It is filled with characters like Bobby, Helen, and Professor Barnhardt who seem to truly believe that a better world can be achieved. But then there is also Tom (Hugh Marlowe), Helen’s fiancé, who believes turning in Klaatu will bring him power and political position. Mr. Harley, and by extension the President of the United States and the political powers of the world, believe that the systems are too entrenched and the problems of the world too complex for peace to ever happen.

Maybe the deeper question of both films is, can we evolve? If faced with the revelation of truth beyond ourselves, or with an ultimatum of peace or oblivion, can we finally believe that it is possible to unite and be one human family?

That is the ultimate power of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Science Fiction and its sister genre, horror (which practically blended into one in the 1950s), have an uncanny ability to, as I said before, show us who we are, but also who we could be. Day asks us if we are willing to make the hard choices to achieve something greater, to become the best version of ourselves. Not to achieve perfection but strive toward that mark as closely as imperfect beings possibly can.

The answers are not simple, and the methods are challenging, even divisive. The process has been and will continue to be long and difficult, but the ultimate goals may not be as disparate from our neighbors as they seem. Perhaps the first step in that process is exactly as Margaret in Disclosure Day says, “listen.” And even more, to make the conscious choice to listen.

As Klaatu declares, the decision indeed rests with us.

The post Revisiting ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’: The Sci-Fi Classic That Warned Us About Ourselves appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

From a screenplay by Brea Grant (Torn Hearts, 12 Hour Shift) and Ed Dougherty (MLM) and segments directed by Grant, Dougherty, and Chelsea Stardust (Satanic Panic), Grind features four interwoven stories that parody the gig economy, hustle culture, and the evils of late-stage capitalism.

The anthology follows weary everyday people juggling side hustles just to survive, while going up against greedy oligarchs, and cleverly uses dark humor and bloody practical effects to portray a world much like our current economic nightmare.

Bloody Disgusting had the pleasure of chatting with Brea Grant and Ed Dougherty about the socioeconomic commentary in Grind, casting Barbara Crampton as a villain, and DIY filmmaking.

Bloody Disgusting: Every segment in this anthology feels relatable because people are actually struggling to survive in the gig economy right now. How did the two of you come up with the idea of creating Grind?

Brea Grant: Like you said, we were trying to come up with a cool idea that seemed relevant right now. The thing that everyone we know is talking about is the economy, the lack of work, and the nightmare hellscape that is late-stage capitalism. It felt like the right time to write something that really featured that as the main horror. As the main thing that people were scared of, this world sort of came to us over the course of a couple of years.

Ed Dougherty: We wanted to make a hit film, and we said, “Let’s make a horror anthology, that’s the most marketable thing there is.” [laughs]

BG: [laughs] Definitely not!

BD: I love anthologies!

ED: We do, too. We feel like it’s kind of an undervalued form of horror film, but it’s a hard sell.

BG: People told us not to make it. They said, “Don’t make an anthology. It’s too hard to sell.” But we did it anyway.

BD: I guess I’m just one of those weirdos who likes anthologies and watches them all.

ED: We believe that there are a lot of weirdos like you out there. It seems like every good horror anthology has a long life, but it’s just getting over the initial hump that’s difficult.

BD: Chelsea Stardust directed some of the segments with the two of you and serves as a producer. How did she first get involved with this project?

BG: The project has a long history. We shot the first segment, which is about multi-level marketing, a couple of years ago. We had decided we wanted to make a full anthology, but it took us about a year after shooting that initial segment to shoot the rest of the movie. When we did that, we knew we needed to bring on a producer aside from Ed and me, since we were directing the bulk of the movie, so that was how she came on board. I’ve been friends with her for a long time, and the one thing I know about her as a friend is that she is very organized, so it felt like a good fit. I just called her one day and said, “Would you want to produce these three segments that we have left to shoot of Grind?” and she came on board.

BD: There are some fun cameos in Grind, but we have to talk about Barbara Crampton. She’s so good as a villainess. Why did you want her for this role, and what was it like working with her on this film?

BG: She’s in her villain era, which is so fun. [laughs] Obviously, we’re huge Barbara Crampton fans, and when we were making MLM, it was a smaller part of the movie that we knew we needed to call on people who could do a good job but were also friendly to us [laughs]. I’m friends with Barbara Crampton, and we’ve done three movies together before this. So, it felt like someone within our reach, but could also really draw a horror crowd. She has a huge fanbase, and she’s also super supportive of all the projects that she’s been in, so that was also really exciting. She’s a great actress, and she’s super funny. I think a lot of these horror actresses, especially those who came up in the eighties and nineties, weren’t given an opportunity to be funny. I think she was ready to jump on an opportunity that was different than what she was used to; it’s not running around and screaming. She is a cult leader, and she is quite funny in it. She just takes the comedy so well and seriously, and she does such an amazing job with it. She has a scene across from Rob Huebel, who is obviously a comedy master, and I feel like the two of them together were hilarious. It’s been fun to watch Barbara go from these iconic roles to a different kind of role at this point in her career. We’re super happy to be a part of that.

ED: And she loves the movie and has been so supportive. Every time she posts about it, I’m like, “I can’t believe this. This is amazing.”

BD: This is an accurate parody of the current socioeconomic situation in this country, as well as our obsession with online culture. It repeatedly asks the question, “What are you willing to do to make money,” in a world with wealth inequality and evil oligarchs. It’s fun, and it’s a horror movie, but it’s thought-provoking. What do you hope audiences take away from Grind, besides having a good time?

ED: I read every review and every Letterboxd review; Brea does not. So, I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen some reviews that say, “Good movie but doesn’t propose a solution.” I think we do propose a solution, which is that the power of unions and organizing is the only way that we will be able to fight back against oligarchs. I do think that is the message of the film. Organizing is the only way to defeat these villains. I do think we have a lot to say in the film. I’d want someone to say, “Man, I’ve never seen a horror anthology that had a political message before.” [laughs]

BG: I think the other thing is that what is currently happening is that we live in a world in which people kind of feel alone in this. They’re like, “Well, I’m doing bad, “or “I’m having trouble paying my rent.” We wanted to hang a lantern on the fact that this is happening to everyone, that wealth disparity is at an all-time high. We’re pointing out to people that you aren’t in this alone; you’re not the only person doing side hustles. Every filmmaker friend I have is working a side job of some sort at this point, and that is just in Los Angeles. Outside of this city, I think things are more dire. I think it was about infusing some politics into something that could make people realize that they aren’t alone and that there are ways of fighting back and fighting the system that has been set up against them.

ED: I think the tone of the movie, which is darkly comedic, also really matches the tone of life right now. Everything seems almost at a parody level as far as the disconnect between oligarchs and trying to make a living and reality. The absurdist nature of the film kind of captures the real tone of life.

BD: There are some cool creature effects and makeup effects in this movie. Can you talk a little bit about the practical effects and makeup?

ED: I think especially because of the message of the film, which is pushing back against the current hellscape we’re in, we wanted to use as many practical effects as possible. We used matte paintings, miniatures, and practical creature effects. I’m always afraid of the matte painting because we used the old school matte painter, but they do look a little AI. I heard someone make a noise behind me during one of the shots, and I was like, “I hope that noise wasn’t them using AI because that’s a matte painting.” [laughs] There’s also the fact that it’s pretty DIY. It’s a film that we financed ourselves and shot in our houses as much as possible. We wanted the whole thing to feel handmade and very tactile.

BG: We’re old school horror fans, so we love seeing practical effects. The practical stuff is really fun for us. It’s the stuff that we think is actually cool. [laughs] So, practical stuff made the most sense for us. We both grew up in the punk scene in the nineties, and I think it just kind of comes naturally to us to try to do things ourselves. And we both work on projects for big companies, with smaller companies, but always for other people, so trying to do something ourselves to see what that felt like was also part of the experiment of Grind.

ED: This was our chance to do everything we wanted our way.

Grind screens at the Chattanooga Film Festival on June 20.

The post The Work ‘Grind’ Is Hell, So Brea Grant & Ed Dougherty Made a Horror Anthology About It [CFF 2026 Interview] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Revelations introduces the Marshland, a hostile wetland map crawling with new abominations. This grim region hides the secrets of the Cathedral of Saint Aurelian, shedding light on historical Vatican failures and the mystery of a forgotten Fallen Preyer.

To survive, players can now equip themselves with a powerful new gear pack featuring 4 distinct weapons. The Heart Eater is a precision pistol that rewards successive weak-spot hits with devastating lightning damage, while the Corpse Eater harnesses the power of decay to ramp up its damage output. Rounding out the arsenal is the Soul Eater, a demonic firearm that reveals the soul sigils of nearby enemies, allowing players to stun them on demand. Lastly, the Tempest is a demonic raygun that fires electric energy.

The update also adds the biggest dungeon to grace Witchfire yet in the highly anticipated Witch Vault, as well as overhauling environmental mechanics through World Corruption 2.0, introducing an entirely new set of challenges and difficulty scaling.

Outside of combat, players can now retreat to the Garden, a now-accessible area to the Hermitorium. Here, they can cultivate the rare resources needed to craft incense, or simply sit on a bench to take in the view.

Witchfire is available now in Early Access on Steam and Epic Games Store with a 20% discount until June 25.

The post Ahead of 1.0 Launch, ‘Witchfire’ Receives Final Major Update in “Revelations” [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Beck and Woods will direct the untitled movie for Universal & Amblin, being described as a “high-concept” science fiction movie.

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods also wrote the original screenplay.

THR details, “Beck and Woods are longtime friends from Iowa who were propelled to mainstream success in 2018 thanks to their spec A Quiet Place, which Paramount bought and made into the hit film. Beck and Woods are coming off of the critical and commercial A24 hit Heretic. Before that, they helmed the sci-fi feature 65 starring Adam Driver for Sony.”

The duo wrote on Instagram last night, “This new project is thirty years in the making. Really proud to bring this story to life alongside Mr. Spielberg and our heroes at Amblin and Universal Pictures. Never a dull day working in the dream factory.”

“Hope to see you in theaters soon,” Beck and Woods added.

Stay tuned for more on this mysterious project as we learn it.

 

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The post Scott Beck and Bryan Woods Directing High Concept Sci-fi Movie for Steven Spielberg appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

These idiosyncratic details are precisely why I love Weird West movies so much, as I think strange stories about folks living in the aftermath of the Civil War and being confronted with speculative threats can often tell us more about the reality of those days than the familiar shootouts and train robberies that we’re used to.

In honor of Primitive War director Luke Sparke teasing the launch of a Kickstarter campaign meant to finance a unique Western that takes place in an alternate universe where humanity evolved alongside dinosaurs, I’ve decided to compile a list recommending six of the best Weird West movies for your viewing pleasure!

For the purposes of this list, “Weird West” is defined as stories taking place within the North American frontier from the Civil War to the early 1900s that also happen to deal with genre tropes like supernatural creatures and serial-killing boogeymen.

As usual, don’t forget to comment below if you think a particularly entertaining example of this extremely underrated genre was missed.

With that out of the way, onto the list!

6. Death Rider in The House of Vampires (2021)

Regardless of your stance on the existence of cinematic “guilty pleasures” and “so bad it’s good” movies, I think we can all agree that you need to be in a particular headspace in order to enjoy Glenn Danzig’s bizarre filmography. While the rock-star-turned-director may not boast the same filmmaking know-how as folks like Rob Zombie, there’s still plenty of entertainment to be had with films like Death Rider in The House of Vampires.

A horror-western as baffling as it is captivating, I’d only recommend this highly stylized romp to genre fans who don’t mind a fair amount of camp (and plenty of unmotivated zooms) with their vampire stories.

5. The Valley of Gwangi (1969)

Jim O’Connolly’s fantasy western opus may not be particularly scary, but this Ray Harryhausen-fueled romp is still one of the most entertaining monster movies on this list, despite (or perhaps because of) its marvelously lo-fi effects work.

Telling the story of an ensemble of cowboys and stuntmen who discover a Forbidden Valley populated by extinct creatures, The Valley of Gwangi was originally meant to be produced by stop-motion maestro Willis O’Brien (of King Kong fame) before the project was eventually passed down to his star pupil.

If the “cowboys versus dinosaurs” setup isn’t enough to hook you in, the film is also notable for being a major influence on Steven Spielberg’sJurassic Park!

4. The Burrowers (2008)

The small screen may not be the ideal way to watch movies, but there’s something to be said about the strange experience of stumbling into a late-night broadcast and being unsure of exactly what it is that you’re watching. I had the pleasure of first experiencing J.T. Perry’s The Burrowers in this fashion, and the added uncertainty made it all the more surprising when this dark western suddenly turned into a grisly creature feature.

Part Tremors and part forgotten John Wayne flick, The Burrowers may not reinvent the wheel for either westerns or horror movies, but there’s no denying that this atmospheric period piece is way better than it has any right to be – especially when Clancy Brown is onscreen!

3. Ghost Town (1988)

Following a 1980s deputy whose search for a missing woman leads to an abandoned settlement haunted by undead apparitions, Ghost Town may not be remembered as one of the best ghostly thrillers of the 80s (mostly due to its slow pace and some questionable effects work), but it’s still way more fun than most critics would have you believe.

In fact, it’s a miracle that the film turned out as well as it did, with the original director being fired halfway through production and the “final cut” of the flick actually being a temporary workprint that was never meant for public consumption. While it’s a shame that we’ll never get to see a “finished” version of Ghost Town, the movie we got is still worth revisiting nearly four decades later.

2. Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Bone Tomahawk is the most gruesome flick on this list by a wide margin, but it’s also – paradoxically – the most grounded. Playing out like an 1890s retelling of The Hills Have Eyes (albeit with a star-studded cast including the likes of Kurt Russel, Patrick Wilson, Sid Haig and even David Arquette), this gory debut feature doesn’t really deal with any of the supernatural elements that tend to define Weird West stories.

However, the extreme violence and overall terror behind the film’s premise place it firmly within the realm of western-inspired genre fiction. After all, I’d rather face ghosts, vampires and dinosaurs than the cannibals that populate this deeply unsettling feature.

1. Ravenous (1999)

Set in the 1840s Sierra Nevada, Antonia Bird’s Ravenous is one of my all-time favorite movies and a perfect example of a project becoming more than the sum of its parts despite a chaotic production.

On paper, a horror-comedy that reinvents the Wendigo myth as an allegory for manifest destiny while also indulging in homo-erotic subtext (and boasting a one-of-a-kind soundtrack co-developed by Gorillaz/Blur frontman Damon Albarn alongside award-winning composer Michael Laurence Nyman) absolutely should not work. And yet, Ravenous lives on as the gold standard for Weird Westerns precisely because of how weird it is!

The post Cowboys, Monsters, and Dinosaurs: 6 Essential Weird West Movies appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

THR details, “Danzig’s publisher Verotik, which focuses on dark fantasy and horror, is behind Hellmask, which began life in the Verotik 30th anniversary issue in October 2023.”

A violent gothic supernatural tale, Glenn Danzig’s Hellmask is set against a brutal medieval backdrop filled with dark magic, armored warriors and massive bloody battle scenes.

James Cullen Bressack is producing the Hellmask movie.

Hellmask will mark musician-turned-filmmaker Glenn Danzig’s third feature film as director, following in the wake of Verotika and Death Rider in the House of Vampires.

The post Glenn Danzig Directing Film Adaptation of His Own ‘Hellmask’ Comic Book appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

However, now that this once-niche creepypasta has escaped the online bubble and permeated all of popular culture, several of these developers have decided to rework and rerelease some of their old titles in order to reach a new audience. Puppet Combo did this with their interpretation of The Backrooms last month (originally released in 2019 as Day Seven), and now Cortez Productions is doing the same with the console release of The Backrooms: Lost Tape.

However, Lost Tape is more than just a cleverly timed rerelease, with Vini Cortez having taken the time to completely overhaul the 2022 game’s graphics and transfer the project over to Unreal Engine 5.6 – complete with bug fixes, exclusive new content, and a brand new visual style that’s a little too impressive when compared to what the original version of the game was trying to do. In fact, I’d argue that this is more of a remake than anything else, though it’s still built over the skeleton of that original game.

In the updated title, which is presented as a found footage anthology where each “tape” tells a self-contained story, players initially take control of a movie theater usher named Josh as he no-clips into the titular Backrooms and tries to find his way out of a liminal labyrinth. The second (and final) tape follows Josh’s brother Nikolas as he attempts to track down the missing usher and ends up embarking on his own journey through infinite hallways and not-so-empty pools.

What follows is a highly atmospheric first-person walking simulator with the occasional light puzzle and a handful of thrilling chase sequences. While the liminal environment is obviously the star of the show here, the rooms are actually populated by monsters in this game, and our characters have plenty to say about the situation they find themselves in.

Unlike Parsons’ more introspective take on the Backrooms mythology, Cortez has decided to incorporate the multiple levels of the Backrooms wiki as well as several crossovers with the SCP “franchise”. While I personally don’t mind this inclusion due to the creepypasta’s collective origins, die-hard fans might be bothered by the fact that you can run into SCP-173 (affectionately referred to as Peanut by some fans) while wandering around the yellow hallways.

However, the real problem here is the fact that the game is simply presenting imagery and ideas made by other people without adding anything new to these familiar elements. There is an undeniable novelty to exploring these beautiful renditions of classic liminal environments, but Lost Tape offers little in the way of originality in both narrative and presentation. This extends to the unfortunate use of generative AI in some of the new textures and audio files – issues that weren’t present in the 2022 version of the title.

Though Cortez has promised that he’s working on bringing back the VHS filter that made the original experience so grungy and atmospheric, the glossy new visuals make the game feel a lot less scary while also consuming way more computing power than can be reasonably expected from an indie title. Sure, the game is pretty in a “tech-demo” sort of way, but there’s no reason for it to be hogging resources like a blockbuster AAA title.

This is made even more frustrating by the fact that this found footage anthology is technically still incomplete. The two existing tapes only scratch the surface of the setting’s narrative potential, and Cortez has announced that the next ones will only be available as (likely paid) DLC. Josh and Nikolas’ tapes are self-contained yarns that’ll each get you about a feature film’s worth of entertainment, though a lot of that runtime is taken up by very slowly walking from one point to another. But it’s a shame that there isn’t a concrete promise of more content to come.

At the end of the day, Backrooms: Lost Tape isn’t a bad game. Cortez really nails the liminal atmosphere and even breathes new life into tired SCP tropes, and the upcoming VHS filter will likely resolve most of my gripes with the revamped visuals. That being said, I find it hard to recommend a project that took a completely functional experience and spoiled it with AI-generated assets and poorly-optimized “upgrades” that no one was really asking for – especially since it doesn’t give existing owners the chance to roll back to a previous version of the game.

So, if you’re looking for more Backrooms-related thrills after enjoying the A24 adaptation, Lost Tape isn’t necessarily a bad place to start, but there are certainly better and more original options out there.

Backrooms: Lost Tape is available now on Steam and PS5.

The post ‘The Backrooms: Lost Tape’ Review: An Entertaining But Unnecessary Upgrade appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The Limitless Strain update introduces seven new deadly weapon perks to enhance your loadouts. Three new customized frames are also available to unlock after completing special milestones in game. And the bar has been raised with new Daily Challenges for Horde Mode for those brave enough to take them on.

A brand-new set of six mutators is now available, as well, including:

• Lethal Fumes: Booster infects nearby zombies after death
• Still Alive: Zekes only die from shots to the head (Private Lobby only)
• Deafening Scream: The Screamer’s sound is deafening at any distance
• Power Cut: Electric grids are shut down during the wave
• Overheat: A stationary machine gun can overheat, making it unable to fire
• Copycat: During the wave, only one type of special zombie appears

Also releasing today are two new weapon skin DLC packs, available for $4.99 each:

Chibi Bunko Weapon Skin Pack: Inspired by WWZ playable character Bunko Tatsumi, this colorful skin pack offers bold new looks for the 1911 Protector Pistol, TMP5 SMG, HAMR-17 Battle Rifle, ACW-20 Grenade Launcher, and RPG4 Rocket Launcher.

Chibi Daniela Weapon Skin Pack: Packed with a bright punch, cover your loadout with flashy new looks for the Mini-21 Scout Rifle, Dunali SxS Double-Barreled Shotgun, LAR Battle Rifle, BSS-2 Multi-Barreled Shotgun, and SchreiTech Forest Warrior Chainsaw.

Finally, World War Z now features Xbox Play Anywhere support, allowing owners of digital copies of World War Z on the Microsoft Store for either Xbox or PC access to both the Xbox and PC versions of the game at no extra cost. Xbox Play Anywhere also supports cross-saves for game progress, saves, and achievements, as well as the ability to swap between console and PC while retaining universal access to all purchased content under the same account.

The post Saber’s ‘World War Z’ Keeps on Rolling with New “Limitless Strain” Update, Available Now [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The Urban Blight mission takes place one year after the events of the game. Humanity, along with the shady Hopewell company, has failed to learn from past mistakes and tries to weaponize the sludge, risking the creation of another nightmare. Once again, it is up to the Commandos to save the city… and hopefully the world!

Alongside this new mission, the Urban Blight update includes several gameplay additions:

• Meet your first flying enemy, the Hornet. This insect grabs players, lifts them into the air, and drops them, causing real bad damage.
• Take control of two new vehicles, the Forklift and the Thrasher APC. The Forklift is exclusive to the Urban Blight mission, while the Thrasher, its turret and its missile system can be found across other maps.
• Discover a new feature called Trials. Complete daily, weekly, and seasonal challenges to earn XP and unlock exclusive rewards.
• Tear through hordes of zombies with six new weapons, including three primary weapons, one secondary weapon, one heavy weapon, and one melee weapon.

Alongside the free update, new cosmetic content arrives with the Cosmetic Pack 1 DLC, included for players in the Bloody Season Pass. Players can unlock unique skins and headgear for each character, as well as weapon skins featuring skull and graffiti designs. Players can also complete the look with a popcorn charm! Vehicle customization is also expanded, allowing players to apply bold stickers and full wrap skins, including graffiti and leopard patterns. New profile titles and icons are also available to round out your style.

As an added kicker, the full music video for “Tell Me When the World Stops Ending” is out now! Originally composed for the John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando animated trailer, this track by GUNSHIP now has a dedicated video directed by Rob Sheridan. The clip perfectly captures a retro vibe, blending footage of the band members with high-octane in-game moments, all enhanced by stylized analog glitch effects.

The post Free “Urban Blight” Update Now Available for ‘John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando’ [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news tonight that Curry Barker will write and direct an untitled horror movie for Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Universal.

THR reports, “In closing what is described as a rich eight-figure deal, Barker will write, produce and direct his third film for Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Universal.”

“All details are being kept secret, but it is described as a Barker original horror idea,” the outlet notes. “The project was bought off of a pitch Barker made to Universal’s top brass.”

“This film is something I’ve been excited to make for a while, and I’m thrilled to be reteaming with Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Universal Film Group for it,” Curry Barker himself said in a statement tonight. “They’ve built the kind of home for bold, original storytelling that every filmmaker dreams of, and I couldn’t imagine better collaborators for this film.”

James Wan and Jason Blum said in a joint statement, “With Obsession, Curry did what only a handful of filmmakers manage in a generation: he made something wholly original that connected with a massive audience, and that connection is what we care about most. The best filmmakers can work anywhere, and we are proud to have a growing slate with Curry. Getting to put this project in front of the fans his work speaks to is the whole reason we do this.”

Stay tuned for more on all things Curry Barker.

‘Obsession’

The post Curry Barker Writing and Directing Original Horror Movie for Universal & Blumhouse appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Sara Tomko (Resident Alien), Oliver Cooper (Project X) and James Duval (Donnie Darko) also star in the film from filmmakers Zach Green and Devin O’Rourke (Foil).

Deadline details in today’s exclusive report, “The film follows a Bigfoot hoax that goes horribly wrong in the middle of an actual Sasquatch hot spot, leading to a chaotic struggle between the hoaxers, investigators, and a supernatural force that defies explanation.”

“I have always been drawn to cryptids and monster lore, and the over-the-top sincerity of 80s and 90s protagonists,” director Zach Green said in a statement. “Bad Day for Bigfoot is a love letter to those creature-filled adventure comedies. I couldn’t be more proud of the cast and crew we’ve assembled, and for the support and enthusiasm from the people of La Grande [Oregon]. It was their gumption that proved to us that making this thing was very possible, and that what’s lurking in those woods may be very real indeed.”

The cast also includes Ashley Rae Spillers, Brian McGuire and Kyle D. King.

Stay tuned for more on Bad Day for Bigfoot as we learn it.

The post Chris Elliott Starring in Creature Comedy ‘Bad Day for Bigfoot’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In the clip, a daughter tucks her ailing mother into bed. While the mom makes mention of monsters under the bed, it turns out the real monster may be mommy herself…

Classic Evil Dead mind-play ensues. Watch the clip below.

Evil Dead Burn releases in theaters nationwide July 10, 2026.

After the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home. As one by one they are transformed into Deadites—turning the gathering into a family reunion from hell—she comes to discover that the vows she took in life… live on even in death.

Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, and Hunter Doohan star.

The post ‘Evil Dead Burn’ – There’s No Monster UNDER the Bed in Chilling New Clip appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

This year’s new lineup of Spirit Halloween animatronics includes a brand new Michael Myers animatronic that measures 6-foot, 6-inches tall. It’s based on John Carpenter’s original classic and features an animated head that turns side-to-side, and knife-wielding hand that moves up and down. The animatronic also plays both the main title theme and Laurie’s Theme!

We’re also getting a new animatronic of Pennywise based on the HBO series “IT: Welcome to Derry,” fully covered with blood up to his nose. It was by far the coolest new Pennywise look from the series, and it looks awesome in the form of a Spirit Halloween animatronic.

Spirit Halloween is also teasing a new Ghostface animatronic that looks to be based on Scream 3?! Ghostface appears to be wearing a bulletproof vest with bullet holes, but they haven’t yet revealed full details about this one. The mask is also outfitted with a bleeding effect.

Previously revealed, we’re getting a killer animatronic of the Xenomorph from the original Alien this year, with this year’s original animatronics including Carnival Creeper, Trash Bandit, Wind Up Wally, Buzz, Jeremy Jaws, Doomsday Duo, Bog Monster, Pumpkin Punisher, and more.

Preview the 2026 animatronic lineup below and head over to Spirit Halloween for more!

The post Spirit Halloween’s New Animatronics This Year Include Michael Myers, Pennywise & Ghostface! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Kornél Mundruczó (Pieces of a Woman) is set to direct Palm Grove.

Deadline notes in their exclusive report this afternoon, “Insiders say the package will hit the streets tomorrow and is sure to attract a number of buyers given the star power.”

The erotic thriller from writer James Morosini is “set in Miami’s most exclusive neighborhood, where a picture-perfect wife uncovers her husband’s double life – igniting a seductive power game that turns betrayal into the most intoxicating game of her life.”

Stay tuned for more on Palm Grove as we learn it.

Kate Hudson in ‘Shell’

The post ‘Palm Grove’ – Ana de Armas and Kate Hudson Starring in Erotic Thriller appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The new poster celebrates the MPA rating the film received this week.  Her Private Hell is rated ‘R’ for “some strong/bloody violence, sexual content, and language.”

Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell will be released in theaters July 24 via Neon.

In the film, when a mysterious mist engulfs a futuristic metropolis, unleashing a deadly and elusive entity, a troubled young woman searches for her father. Her quest collides with an American GI on a harrowing odyssey to rescue his daughter from Hell.

Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets”), Charles Melton (“Riverdale”), Kristine Froseth (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Havana Rose Liu (No Exit), and Diego Calva (Babylon) star.

The ensemble also includes Dougray Scott (Hitman), Aoi Yamada (Perfect Days), Shioli Kutsuna (Deadpool & Wolverine), and Hidetoshi Nishijima (Shin Ultraman).

Nicolas Winding Refn directs Her Private Hell from a script he co-wrote with Esti Giordani (“Vida”). Pino Donaggio (Carrie, Don’t Look Now) composed the score.

Refn produces under his byNWR Originals banner. Executive producers include Takuma Takasaki, Kimberly Willming, Christina Erritzøe, and Lene Børglum.

The post ‘Her Private Hell’ Gets a New Poster Celebrating the Film’s ‘R’ Rating appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The hit series begins production on its third season this month in Los Angeles.

The series based on the video games tells “the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Two hundred years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind—and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.“

The series stars Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets, Sweetpea), Aaron Moten (Emancipation, Father Stu), Walton Goggins (The White Lotus, The Righteous Gemstones), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Moisés Arias (The King of Staten Island), Frances Turner (The Boys), Annabel O’Hagan (Rent Free), and Dave Register (FBI).  

Aaron Paul (Anything But Ghosts) has also joined the cast for Season Three, as previously announced.

Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner serve as executive producers, creators, and showrunners. 

Catch up on both seasons ahead of Season Three on Prime Video now.

[Related] Six Things We Want to See in ‘Fallout’ Season 3

The post Emily Mortimer, Manny Jacinto, and Thomasin McKenzie Join ‘Fallout’ Season Three appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The Hollywood Reporter lets us know this afternoon that Ron Howard and Jim Carrey are in talks to reunite for a sequel to the live action How the Grinch Stole Christmas movie!

If all the deals go through, Jim Carrey would reprise his iconic role as the live action version of the Grinch, while Ron Howard would find himself seated back in the director’s chair.

Universal and Imagine Entertainment are developing, with Brian Grazer producing.

THR notes, “The untitled sequel will have a script by Alec Berg (Barry, Silicon Valley, Curb Your Enthusiasm), Jeff Schaffer (Life, Larry and The Pursuit of Unhappiness, Dave, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and David Mandel (Veep, Curb Your Enthusiasm).”

The Dr. Seuss character was originally introduced in the 1957 children’s book How the Grinch Stole Christmas, later brought to the screen in the world of animation in the 1966 special.

Horror legend Boris Karloff voiced the Grinch in that animated classic, while Jim Carrey much later played the character in live action in Ron Howard’s 2000 movie. More recently, Benedict Cumberbatch voiced the character in the 2018 animated movie The Grinch.

David Howard Thornton even played a (more) twisted version of the Grinch in the horror movie The Mean One, a wildly unofficial adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss tale.

Another fun horror connection? Back in 2001, makeup effects legend Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London) won an Oscar for his work turning Jim Carrey into the Grinch!

In the 2000 live action holiday classic, “On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.”

The film of course ends with the Grinch embracing Christmas and the Whos, completing his character arc from a nasty beast to a big-hearted citizen of Whoville. Where could a sequel possibly go from there? Well, I did float a fun idea on Twitter just a couple months ago…

The post ‘The Grinch’ Live Action Sequel in the Works With Jim Carrey Starring and Ron Howard Directing! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Both Operation Leading Edge and the miniatures set are available for pre-order now from the Free League webshop, with immediate PDF access ahead of its Q4 2026 release. You can also snag a new dedicated dice tray for the Alien RPG and the Evolved Edition.

Operation Leading Edge is a stand-alone adventure for Alien RPG, but also serves as the second installment of the Jeremiah Saga trilogy. The adventure is designed for 3–5 players plus the Game Mother, and lets the players take the roles of a team of Colonial Marines sent to secure a rich mineral deposit on the remote moon Jeremiah VI.

Here’s what you get with the new campaign:

• The main Operation Leading Edge adventure book.
• Two huge double-sided maps (format 34 × 22 inches) featuring the key adventure locations in great and terrifying detail.
• Five pre-generated characters to choose from.
• Playing cards for personal agendas and NPCs.
• Cardboard tokens for characters and creatures.
• GM maps and player handouts.

Complementing Operation Leading Edge is the new miniatures set for the campaign, featuring 20 high-quality miniatures of Colonial Marines, enemy troops from the Union of Progressive Peoples (UPP), and of course, a host of Xenomorphs.

Standing 28mm in scale, these are perfectly sized for use on the large battle maps included in Operation Leading Edge and other cinematic adventures for the Evolved Edition.

The new Operation Leading Edge miniatures set also includes a booklet with simplified combat rules that make it possible to play quick skirmish battle rules in the Alien universe using the included miniatures.

In case you haven’t hopped on board, you can check out Aaron’s review of the Evolved Edition, which as you might expect, adds even more fantastic content to an already fantastic TTRPG.

The post New Cinematic Adventure “Operation Leading Edge” Coming to ‘Alien The Roleplaying Game’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The feature debut by writer-director Alex Ullom will officially arrive in theaters on August 21.

In It Ends, “Four recent college grads on a night time drive find themselves stuck on a road that sprawls on forever, with seemingly no end in sight. They are occasionally attacked by stragglers and have to find a routine to plan their rest stops, but after a few thousand miles it all feels the same. Still, they keep on driving, only in the belief something better will come eventually.“

Starring in the film are:

• Akira Jackson as Day
• Phinehas Yoon as James
• Mitchell Cole as Tyler
• Noah Toth as Fisher

“This was always a movie that was more about how we live with horror than about the actual horror. I make this joke too much, but I always wanted to see the family in Hereditary give a postgame interview and just be like, ‘Yeah, that was terrifying. That was absolutely terrifying.’ Then, they all die, obviously, but like they go about their lives. The movie is constantly recontextualizing the things that happen in it,” Ullom previously told BD of his existential horror film.

It Ends premiered at SXSW earlier last year and went on to win Best First Feature at the Fantasia International Film Festival.

I wrote in my review, “It Ends captures a universal fear, that anxiety-inducing transition into full-blown adulthood where we’re all expected to become responsible contributors to society. It’s a lot of pressure with no clear guide. As such, it runs through every emotion that comes with that journey.”

Ullom is already a filmmaker to watch; the newcomer has already been tapped to helm 4 X 4: The Event, which is described as Battle Royale meets Saw meets Climax.

The post Neon’s Gen Z Horror Movie ‘It Ends’ Heads to Theaters This August appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

It could still be several months before the production kicks off, but Nicolas Winding Refn has already taken to social media this week to show off a piece of very early teaser art.

Check out NWR’s Maniac Cop tease below and read on for everything we know.

First conceived as a feature then reworked as a series for HBO, the new take on the 1988 slasher is once again set up as a feature, with MUBI now on board to finance the movie.

From what we understand, a wide theatrical release is planned.

In the original Maniac Cop from director William Lustig, innocent people are brutally killed on the streets of New York by a uniformed police officer. A young cop, Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell), finds himself marked as the chief suspect after his wife is murdered.

As Lieutenant Frank McCrae (Tom Atkins) investigates, the death toll rises and he suspects a mysterious police cover-up. This maniac cop (Robert Z’Dar) must be stopped, but it might not be so easy. He seems inhuman, and he’s ready to take on the entire police force.

“The concept has always appealed to me,” Nicolas Winding Refn said in a statement to Deadline last month. “In today’s political and social climate, the iconography of Maniac Cop alone provokes an immediate, uneasy reaction. I’ve been watching it all unfold while constructing this project in the shadows… waiting. Now, that moment has finally arrived.”

“The time has come to unveil a radical new vision where there is no protection, no safety net, only mayhem,” Refn’s official statement continued.

“Maniac Cop in Nicolas’s hands is not a remake. It is a resurrection,” said Efe Cakarel, Founder and CEO of MUBI. “Nicolas has one of the most dangerous imaginations in modern cinema, and he is exactly the filmmaker to reawaken something this iconic. We’re proud to be partnering with him on a film that feels bold, singular and impossible to ignore.”

Expect NWR’s Maniac Cop sometime in 2027.

The post Nicolas Winding Refn Shares Early Art for His ‘Maniac Cop’ Franchise Revival appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Son of Sara will be available in the U.S. and Canada on Digital & VOD July 31.

Watch the official trailer from Saban Films below.

In Son of Sara, “A pregnant woman’s cravings turn sinister as her estranged boyfriend’s return coincides with a terrifying secret about the life growing inside her.”

The film stars Chloe Van Landschoot, Tymika Tafari, Garret Hnatiuk and Jane Moffat.

Canadian filmmaker Houston Bone directed Son of Sara.

Houston Bone said in a statement, “After gagging Toronto at Blood in the Snow this past winter, we are excited to be working with Saban to bring our grisly horror movie, and our new little monster, to audiences across the United States. This film has been a passion project for all of us since we shot it back in October 2023. Real blood, sweat, and tears went into bringing Son of Sara to the screen. We are humbled and thrilled by the response from film festival audiences so far. It is a dream come true to be sharing this film at this scale internationally.”

The post ‘Son of Sara’ Exclusive Trailer – ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ for a New Generation appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Kino Cult is bringing a new 2K restoration to US theaters on August 7, after it makes its World Premiere at the prestigious Festival Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna (Festival of Rediscovered Cinema).

Arguably featuring more authentic on-screen deaths than the original Faces of Death, Hell’s Highway isn’t for the squeamish despite its kitschy tone.

We’re exclusively unveiling the trailer for this morbid curiosity that aims to scare drivers straight with grisly depictions of highway-induced death.

Hell’s Highway is an “exploration of the near mythical driver education films shown to American schoolchildren in the 1960s and ‘70s. Produced between 1959 and 1979 in Mansfield, Ohio, films such as Signal 30 (1959) encouraged safety by force-feeding high school kids color footage of careless driving’s dark consequences: blood-stained wreckage, injured bodies, fresh corpses.

“In the 1970s and ’80s, these traumatic films disappeared from the American classroom and assumed an almost mythical status. Eager to document this obscure chapter of cinema history, filmmaker and restorationist Bret Wood compiled these vanishing artifacts of grim Americana into a feature, and interviewed the filmmakers responsible for this misguided educational movement.”

Originally produced in 2002 in standard-definition video, this new edition of Hell’s Highway has been reconstructed through the remastering of the original 16mm interview footage, as new restorations of the original educational films which appear throughout the documentary.

David Edelstein of Filmmaker Magazine called this “A Lynchian view of the nightmarish underbelly of middle America,” as seen in the new poster below, accurately describing this wild shockumentary that casts an unflinching eye on road death.

Buckle up.

The post ‘Hell’s Highway: The True Story of Highway Safety Films’ – Shockumentary Gets 2K Restoration from Kino Cult [Trailer Exclusive] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The new series premieres on July 17, 2026.

The official synopsis reads: “When the crown prince is found dead in a pond, a chilling rumor paralyzes the palace: the pond spirit has returned to wipe out the King’s bloodline. The King (Cho Seung-woo) fiercely dismisses the killings as mere conspiracy, until his last remaining son, Prince Yeongan, collapses.

“Driven to desperation, the King secretly summons Gu-cheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), who can traverse the Realm of Gwi and defeat them. To ensure his loyalty, the King pairs him with Saeng-gang (Roh Yoon-seo), a court lady born with the ability to hear spirits.

“Gu-cheon embarks on the life-or-death mission to destroy the spirit and lift the curse of the East Palace, or die within its walls. But as Gu-cheon hunts the spirit and Saeng-gang secretly spies on his every move, the two draw closer to the dark truth of the East Palace that lies beneath the pond.“

“The East Palace” hails from director Choi Jung-kyu (The Devil Judge) and writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jea-won (Son: The Guest). Production companies for the film include Showrunners and Imaginus.

Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo, and Cho Seung-woo star.

Watch the teaser for the dark fantasy horror series below.

The post Netflix Unveils First Teaser for Supernatural Series ‘The East Palace’ appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Conceived by Michael Cosio, who also created Massacre at the Mirage, Terror at Oakheart and Suffer the Night (and is currently working on The Skin Stapler), Flesh Made Fear draws inspiration from the fixed-camera tension, puzzle-driven pacing, and scarce resources of classic Resident Evil games, while adding its own blend of body horror, conspiracy, and occult terror.

Players take on the role of an elite operative in the Reaper Intervention Platoon (R.I.P.), a covert task force deployed to neutralize Victor “The Dripper” Ripper—a brilliant but deranged former CIA agent. His sinister experiments have turned a desolate backwater town into a nightmare filled with grotesque monsters and mind-controlled thralls. Your mission is clear: eliminate Ripper, unravel his chilling secrets, and survive the horrors lurking in his mansion-turned-laboratory.

You can tackle the nightmare of The Dripper as one of two survivors, each with their own abilities and personal journey. Jack (greater health, smaller inventory) relies on grit and clever instincts to endure the horrors closing in around him, while Natalie (less health, larger inventory) meets the madness head-on with sharp resolve, quick wit, and relentless stamina. Both characters offers unique stats and storylines, enhancing replayability.

Vulnerability is the name of the game in Flesh Made Fear. By reintroducing mechanics like limited saves, a mix of fixed and dynamic camera angles, and restricted resources, the game forces players into a constant state of tension. Every decision – whether to fight, flee, or conserve ammunition – carries weight. This careful design, paired with grotesque visuals and a conspiratorial story, aims to deliver “an authentic yet modernized survival horror experience.”

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It’s an interesting angle, and when combined with a dreamy visual style and a handful of confident performances, Mark O’Brien‘s film starts with a lot of promise and maintains a consistent dramatic tension throughout. There’s ambition here, and craft, and a sense of care that saves the film from oblivion, but unfortunately, thanks to confused pacing and certain baffling moments of characterization, all The Voices of Our Mother can really do, in the end, is avoid becoming a complete mess. 

The mother of the title is Harriet (Sheila McCarthy), whose four adult children fled the home she shared with her own mother as quickly as they could and never looked back. For years, Harriet’s efforts to stay in touch with her children were in vain, at least until their grandmother dies suddenly and a devastated Harriet is hospitalized after a medical episode of her own. It’s only then that twin siblings William (O’Brien) and Therese (Carolina Bartczak), junkie baby brother Martin (Alex Ozerov-Meyer), and devoted nun Annika (Georgina Reilly) are forced to return home to bury their grandmother and deal with Harriet, whose physical and psychological issues are growing stranger by the day. 

Photo Credit: Shudder

There’s a reason so many horror stories follow adults who must return to the site of their childhood trauma. It’s just such a charged environment for drama and psychological tension, as the characters fight to reconcile the understanding that comes with maturity with the rage and confusion they still feel over what happened long ago. O’Brien, who also wrote the screenplay, digs into this emotionally fertile ground immediately, showing us siblings who’ve left quite a few things unsaid, trying to reconnect even as their mother is constantly upsetting the delicate balance of peace they’re trying to construct for her.

In just his second feature as director (after 2021’s The Righteous), O’Brien recognizes the potency of the environment he’s created, and in the early minutes of the film, he exploits it. While Harriet recuperates in bed, the four siblings explore their various resentments, memories, and flat-out grudges from all angles, and it mostly works. The performances are solid, O’Brien works hard to infuse a genuinely distinctive visual style awash with dramatic reds and the glow of firelight into the proceedings, and the supernatural mystery at the core of the film is intriguing, if a little sloppily laid out. It’s a horror story built on the age-old conundrum over what to do with aging relatives with whom you’ve lost any real sense of emotional connection, and that’s palpably unsettling. 

But these unsettling qualities never translate to real horror, or even a cohesive narrative, once the supernatural mystery of it all really starts rolling forward. As Harriet’s illness progresses, and she starts doing things like whispering secrets in her kids’ ears to turn them against each other, the film stirs up fresh drama but fails to deliver on the emotional throughlines of that drama. Characters make baffling decisions, and not in the way that horror characters often act out of passion or confusion or plain old fear.

Photo Credit: Shudder

The tension over Harriet’s real fate fades in and out as the kids squabble, and she only seems to act out in overtly horrifying ways when the script needs to wrap up an argument without ever actually arriving at any conclusions. It’s a shame, because when McCarthy’s actually able to flex her horror muscles and turn Harriet into something to be feared, she brings remarkably nuanced terror to the film, and yet the film barely wants to showcase it. It would rather, it seems, be a psychological drama about the fallout of Harriet’s illness, which would be fine if that drama held together. Instead, we’re left with a string of interesting scenes that never quite come together into a story worth following, and by the time the more overt horror elements kicked in, I’d grown too frustrated to really be hooked. 

But The Voices of Our Mother is not all bad. McCarthy’s performance is solid, as is O’Brien’s, who injects a welcome naturalism into scenes that might otherwise be stiff. Reilly (who, as a Pontypool fan, I was just really happy to see), Bartczak, and Ozerov-Meyer bring their best to the material, but the film is just too tonally confused to deliver anything truly satisfying out of their work.

Still, I can’t help but think that with a little narrative tightening and some basic brush-ups on things like blocking and scene geography – the film is sometimes ambiguous on purpose but more often ambiguous by accident, like setups arrived half-formed – this thing could’ve gone much further. The Voices of Our Mother doesn’t work, but it’s far from a disaster, and I sincerely hope Mark O’Brien tries his hand at more horror in the future. 

The Voices of Our Mother hits Shudder June 19.

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Rick Baker is one of the artform’s true legends, and we’ve learned this week that the legendary artist is being honored with the Vision Award at this year’s Locarno Film Festival.

The festival announced in a press release, “With the Vision Award presented by Ticinomoda for Rick Baker, the Festival pays tribute to a remarkable figure who has been responsible for shaping some of cinema’s most fantastical creations. Baker will receive the award in Piazza Grande during the evening of Wednesday, August 12, 2026, as well as present, within the Festival programme, two key films from his career: An American Werewolf in London (1981) and The Nutty Professor (1996).”

“From his early make-up work on genre films in the 1970s to his sophisticated creature and character designs for large-scale studio productions, Rick Baker has forged a new visual grammar for cinematic metamorphosis,” Locarno adds, “earning him a record number of Academy Awards for Best Makeup and cementing his status as a reference point for generations of artists.”

The statement continues, “Over his long career, Rick Baker has transformed Michael Jackson into a zombie in Thriller and turned Jim Carrey into the Grinch. He has been responsible for crafting unforgettable werewolves to some of the most realistic gorillas ever created for film, each time redefining the audience’s sense of what is real and what is imagined on the big screen. In receiving the Vision Award, the Festival pays tribute to a remarkable figure who has been responsible for shaping some of cinema’s most fantastical creations.”

Locarno’s Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro writes, “Rick Baker was responsible for a Copernican revolution in cinema: visionary and revolutionary, he opened new paths for the imagination of entire generations, showing what it truly means to witness physical transmutation on the big screen. His filmography includes collaborations with George Lucas and David Cronenberg, Brian De Palma and Joe Dante, Tim Burton and Peter Jackson, John Carpenter and Mike Nichols, among many others. Presenting the Vision Award in Locarno to a pioneer and innovator like him, an absolute genius and incomparable craftsman, is an honour through which the Festival celebrates the infinite possibilities of cinema and its bag of tricks.”

The 79th Locarno Film Festival will take place from August 5-15, 2026.

The Vision Award pays tribute to artists whose creative work has contributed to the renewal of the cinematographic imaginary and has been given to masters of special effects, editors, sound designers, composers, musicians, cinematographers, and multidisciplinary artists.

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Drawing on the mythology and material culture of Nuragic Sardinia to construct its distinct flavor of cosmic horror, The Old Flesh of Nuraga is a brief first-person atmospheric horror title set on a dying desert island. When Cinera’s grandpa became too weak to keep pace, he was left to die. She stayed with him, since blood ties are stronger than thirst.

However, blood ties won’t feed you. While searching for food using an ancient bell, Cinera discovers that the two of them are standing on the lost holy palace of a forgotten god: the god that her grandpa used to worship. Now Cinera’s grandpa wants her to unearth ancient relics, convinced they will allow him to save everyone. But as you dig deeper, her grampa’s madness starts spreading like sand.

Not only that, but in your quest to unearth these relics, you soon summon something that probably should have stayed buried.

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Bearing the hallmarks of classic Resident Evil titles (fixed camera angles, tank controls, inventory management, etc.), details on the story for Faithless Water have yet to be revealed. However, what is known is that the game takes place in an underwater facility, where you’ve been brought out of cryostasis by SEDNA, the facility’s artificial intelligence. The station is seemingly deserted at first, but you soon realize the horrors that lurk in the dark.

From the brief teaser trailer, the atmosphere is appropriately dark and foreboding, with plenty of zombies and creatures for you to blow away (if you have the ammo, of course). You’ll also be making use of flares to light your way, which again, there’s just something about relying on a flare that makes things scarier. Coincidentally, the dev happened to put in an Easter Egg for Resident Evil – Code: Veronica prior to the remake’s reveal during Summer Game Fest.

No word on a release date as of yet, but you can wishlist the game now.

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The eight-episode show was created by showrunners Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews (“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance”) and premiered on May 21.

The series logline reads, “In a seemingly picturesque retirement community in the New Mexico desert, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time.”

Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, Bill Pullman, Carlos Miranda, Jena Malone, Seth Numrich, and Alice Kremelberg starred in the series.

The cast also featured Ed Begley Jr., Dee Wallace, Eric Edelstein, Rafael Casal, Mousa Hussein Kraish, Beth Bailey, Karan Soni, and Jane Kaczmarek.

Ben Taylor (“Sex Education”) directed the first two episodes, with Augustine Frizzell (“Euphoria”) and Kyle Patrick Alvarez (The Stanford Prison Experiment) also helming episodes.

Our own Daniel Kurland wrote in his season one review, “Outside of its heartfelt performances and brief flashes of inspiration, The Boroughs is unfortunately as forgettable as the very people who have been shipped off to its community.“

“The Boroughs” may not have seen the same level of success as “Stranger Things“, but it has remained a fixture in Netflix’s Top Ten ranking since its premiere.

The series’ cancellation after only one season is largely attributed to the series’ expensive sci-fi budget, and the fact that Executive Producers The Duffer Brothers (“Stranger Things”) are leaving Netflix for Paramount, where they’ll next tackle an untitled event film expected in 2028.

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Evil Dead Wrath recently wrapped production, with the upcoming film from director Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County) set for theatrical release on April 7, 2028.

We’ve known virtually nothing about the movie up to this point, but a recent interview with producer Rob Tapert has surfaced this week (thanks, Dread Central) and it reveals a very surprising bit of information about Evil Dead Wrath. The film is set in 1972!!

Tapert told the students at Michigan State University during a chat, “Evil Dead Wrath is yet another great departure. It predates everything. It takes place in 1972.”

That means Evil Dead Wrath takes place even before the arrival of Ash Williams and friends to that infamous cabin in the woods, which should give the film a whole new kind of flavor.

Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness was of course set in the Middle Ages, but Evil Dead Wrath will take place chronologically before Ash Williams was transported into medieval times!

“It will feel like a 1972 movie because the director and his DP want to imitate the film’s look and feel of something that’s called Ektachrome 100, which was a film stock,” Tapert notes. “Still available. A lot of movies shot on back then. And so it’s very warm, very tungsten.”

Tapert calls Wrath “very Tarantino-esque, very deliberate. [Galluppi] made a movie, not a horror movie, that I liked a great deal called Last Stop in Yuma County. It’s worth looking up.”

The Last Stop in Yuma County, it’s interesting to note, is also set in the 1970s!

Charlotte Hope (The Nun), Jessica McNamee (Mortal Kombat), Zach Gilford (“Midnight Mass”), Josh Helman (Mad Max: Fury Road), Ella Newton (Dangerous Animals), Elizabeth Cullen (Diabolic), and Ella Oliphant will star in Evil Dead Wrath.

Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi and franchise producer Rob Tapert are producing. Bruce Campbell and Lee Cronin will executive produce alongside Romel Adam and Jose Canas.

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In addition to being on a physical cart, Observer System Redux – Limited Edition will include a special case, a lenticular 3D postcard, in-game ad cards and digital content.

Originally released back in 2019, Observer received an upgraded and expanded System Redux version the next year. Starring the late Rutger Hauer, the year is 2084. The future has turned out much darker than anyone could imagine. First, there was the Nanophage. A digital plague that killed thousands upon thousands of those who chose to augment their minds and bodies. Then came the War, leaving both the West and the East decimated and shattered. With no one left to seize power, corporations took over and forged their own crooked empires.

You are an Observer – a tool of corporate oppression. Feared and despised, you hack into the darkest corners of your suspects’ minds. You creep into their dreams, expose their fears, and extract whatever your investigation may require.

Observer System Redux is also available for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series.

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The unrivaled Master of Horror made a splash in 1974 with his debut novel Carrie and has been terrifying readers ever since. Two years later, Brian De Palma brought this shocking story to the screen with an equally electrifying horror film that remains a genre classic and a prototypical example of “Good For Her” horror. This dual debut seemed to open the floodgates, unleashing endless waves of Stephen King films.

From the highs of Misery, Cujo, and The Shawshank Redemption to the schlocky fun of Cat’s Eye, Creepshow, and Children of the Corn, the last five decades have seen just about every notable horror creator take a stab at the author’s massive collection. 

In recent years, this singular subgenre has begun to burst at the seams, expanding to include Stephen King-esque fare. In 2016, brothers Matt and Ross Duffer debuted Stranger Things, a sci-fi series heavily inspired by two of King’s most famous books. The Netflix series remixes Firestarter and It by following a little girl with psychic powers and an intrepid group of kids on bikes who must battle an otherworldly foe and a sinister government agency. With its clever blend of modern effects and comforting nostalgia, this gateway horror series paved the way for Andy Muschietti’s It adaptation which remains the highest grossing horror film of all time. 

Four years later, Mike Flanagan would create Midnight Mass, a spiritual adaptation of King’s second novel Salem’s Lot. Published in 1975, the book sees a tiny New England town torn apart by a centuries-old vampire. Though Flanagan’s story is perhaps more tender, both iterations of the classic horror tale follow close-knit communities shaken to their core by the presence of an  ancient evil. 

In addition to these recent hits, 2025 was a banner year for the Master of Horror. Audiences delighted in six mainstream adaptations, including the massively popular It: Welcome to Derry which chronicles earlier cycles of the titular clown’s reign. With this boost to King’s cultural cache, it’s no surprise that we’ve begun to see more unofficial adaptations of the author’s work and horror creators who build their own unique castles in King’s creative sandbox. 

So what defines a Stephen King-esque story?

For the past fifty years, the prolific author has dipped his toes in nearly every subgenre from supernatural stories and grisly gore to western fantasy and science fiction. Including his vast catalogue of short fiction, King has tackled ghosts, demons, werewolves, zombies, aliens, mutants, and self-driving cars, not to mention bizarre monsters of his own creation. But what truly unites this vast array of horror is King’s focus on relatable characters. In his 2000 memoir/instructional text On Writing, the prolific author describes the amusement he finds in writing disparate characters, placing them in horrific scenarios, then exploring the ways they try to survive.

An unofficial Stephen King adaptation may take place in the author’s native New England — bonus points if it’s set in Maine — and reference his well-known heroes and villains. But what makes the King connection unbreakable is a character-driven story about average people who band together in the face of abject terror. 

Weapons Captures Small Town Stephen King

Following his 2022 shocker Barbarian, Zach Cregger returned with Weapons, a sprawling story that begins in a doomed elementary school. On an otherwise ordinary day, Justine (Julia Garner) arrives at her desk to find that all but one of her students have disappeared. As the mystery grows increasingly violent, Justine and Archer (Josh Brolin), the father of a missing boy, find their way to the home of Alex (Cary Christopher), the class’ only surviving student. In some ways reminiscent of Salem’s Lot, Weapons swings wildly through the unfortunate town, introducing us to its flawed inhabitants as we watch their lives fall apart.  

Cregger’s setup nods to a pair of King short stories. Both “Suffer the Little Children” and “Here There Be Tygers” tackle monstrous presences in elementary schools, but as Weapons reaches its final act, Constant Readers may remember another Stephen King tale. Featured in his 1985 collection Skeleton Crew, “Gramma” introduces us to George, a little boy tormented by an aging witch. On an afternoon alone with his sickly grandmother, the frightened child gradually realizes that the imposing old woman has been waiting for an opportunity to cast a spell that will extend her own life by possessing his body.  

Alex finds himself similarly tortured by his aunt Gladys (Amy Madigan), a garish witch who orchestrates a desperate plot to sustain her own strength. Transforming humans into mindless weapons, Gladys has taken over Alex’s family home and lured his classmates to the basement. Holding them in a comatose state, she syphons off their energy to extend her own supernatural life.

Vastly different in many ways, both “Gramma” and Weapons hinge on a sinister witch who uses horrific magical spells to sacrifice the bodies of her vulnerable prey. 

Hokum Echoes The Shining and 1408

It’s nearly impossible to watch a film about a haunted hotel without thinking of King’s third novel, The Shining. This icy story follows Jack Torrance, an angry writer struggling with his sobriety and a shameful incident haunting his past. Accompanied by his wife and young son, Jack has taken a job as the winter caretaker for the Overlook, a haunted hotel situated high in the Rocky Mountains. Snowed in, Jack finds himself tormented by dangerous ghosts who amplify his greatest fears. 

Damian McCarthy’s Hokum follows a similarly troubled figure. Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) is a surly writer who travels to the Bilberry Woods Hotel in rural Ireland to spread his parents’ ashes. Haunted by his own tragic past, Ohm finds himself trapped in the honeymoon suite, a decaying room that’s been permanently closed to protect visitors from a dangerous witch trapped within its walls. Visual nods to King’s text abound with woodcut figurines and an animated clock, mirroring ominous descriptions found in King’s text. 

Another terrifying sequence sees Ohm staring with horror at a closed door, the only thing separating him from the approaching witch. As the door knob slowly turns, Constant Readers remember Jack’s narrow escape from the ghostly woman in room 217. And Ohm’s popular Conquistador books directly reference King’s long-running fantasy series The Dark Tower which follows a gunslinger named Roland Deschain tasked with protecting the nexus of the universe. 

In addition to these thematic comparisons, Hokum bears striking resemblance to King’s terrifying short story “1408.” Collected in 2002’s Everything’s Eventual, the terrifying story follows Mike Enslin, a dejected writer who’s risen to fame penning essays about his adventures in haunted locations. Mike arrives at the Hotel Dolphin and bullies his way into the titular room, despite the manager’s dire warnings. McCarthy nods to this story with an ominously misplaced hotel room door, reminiscent of King’s entry to 1408, an unsuspecting portal that appears to move each time Mike looks away. 

However, McCarthy’s most direct reference lies in a minicorder Ohm uses to capture notes. Trapped inside the dreaded honeymoon suite, this device offers well-timed messages while sitting next to a decomposing corpse. Mike records his time in 1408 with his own trusty minicorder. Described for the reader, his tape has captured the man’s slow descent into madness as the room prepares to swallow him whole. With conclusions that differ wildly in tone, both Ohm and Mike find their lives irrevocably changed by encounters with the supernatural realm. 

Widow’s Bay Builds Its Own Version of Castle Rock

Katie Dippold’s Widow’s Bay has taken the idea of an unofficial King adaptation and turned it into an art form. The Apple TV series sees the residents of the titular island plagued by a curse that dates back centuries. Not only does the picturesque hamlet not accommodate wifi connections, those born on the island face certain death should they ever try to leave. Desperate to modernize the tiny town, Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) draws in waves of tourists just as a new cycle of terror begins. 

Blending horror with deft comedy, Dippold makes cheeky references to King’s body of work. Tom warns that, “there’s something in the fog,” reminding readers of King’s 1980 novella The Mist. And Loftis’ own stay in the town’s haunted hotel sees him tormented by the ghost of a murderous clown. We even spy a vintage King hardback peeking out of a local book trade box.

In many ways Widow’s Bay feels like a new iteration of the author’s Little Tall Island, a tiny village off the coast of Maine. In addition to the 1992 novel Dolores Claiborne and a handful of harrowing short stories, this quaint fishing village is also the setting for King’s 1999 teleplay Storm of the Century. Premiering on ABC primetime, this tragic tale follows a terrified group of islanders who batten down the hatches for a dangerous Nor’easter only to find a more sinister threat lurking within. 

Constant Readers may also be reminded of Castle Rock, the author’s favorite fictional town.

First introduced in the 1981 novel Cujo, the charming village becomes the star of Needful Things, King’s satire about consumerism. After several Castle Rock stories, we’re reintroduced to its residents as they gossip about the arrival of Leland Gaunt and the grand opening of his curio shop. Anything their hearts desire can be found in his varied inventory, so long as they’re willing to pay the price. Pitting cantankerous neighbors against each other, Gaunt ignites a wave of grisly violence by exploiting long-held resentments and feuds. 

The town’s only defense against this supernatural threat is beleaguered sheriff Alan Pangborn. Still grieving the deaths of his wife and younger son, Alan struggles to connect with his older child and pick up the pieces of his shattered life. Also a widower, Loftis struggles to raise his own restless son and explain the strange details of his wife’s tragic death. Attempting to unravel the island’s dark secrets, Tom is aided by quirky residents including a surly fisherman named Wyck (Stephen Root) and Patricia (Kate O’Flynn), an earnest Town Hall employee. King’s own novels feature many of these proactive alliances with disparate characters combining their strengths to overcome insurmountable odds. 

With Widow’s Bay renewed for a second season and Mike Flanagan’s Carrie series on the horizon, the future seems bright for new King adaptations, both spiritual and directly pulled from his catalogue. The prolific author also shows no signs of slowing down with two publications nearing release. His upcoming novel, Other Worlds Than These, is the long-awaited third Talisman book which teases direct ties to his Dark Tower world. Holly Forever will be a new installment of his crime series, offering a different kind of genre fare.

This embarrassment of riches spawning multiple worlds seems ripe for spiritual adaptation and will likely inspire horror creators for decades to come.

Kate O’Flynn, Stephen Root and Matthew Rhys in “Widow’s Bay,” now streaming on Apple TV.

The post How ‘Weapons’, ‘Hokum’, and ‘Widow’s Bay’ Continue Stephen King’s Horror Legacy appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The outlet reports, “The actress’ boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, tells TMZ … Daveigh died Tuesday from meningitis and an infection in her blood, which caused her to have septic issues and led to her body shutting down.” The website’s report continues, “We’re told Daveigh had been admitted to a hospital in Los Angeles earlier this month because of malnutrition.”

Here in the horror world, a young Daveigh Chase memorably played Samara in Gore Verbinski’s 2002 horror movie The Ring, the American remake of the Japanese horror hit.

Far outside the horror world, Daveigh Chase voiced Lilo in the 2002 animated movie Lilo & Stitch, a character she continued to voice in various animated spinoff projects.

Chase also appeared as Samantha Darko in the 2001 classic Donnie Darko, later returning to play the sister of Donnie Darko in the 2009 spinoff movie titled S. Darko.

Daveigh Chase’s resume also includes roles on the TV shows “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Charmed,” “ER,” “Touched by an Angel,” “CSI,” “Cold Case,” and 32 episodes of “Big Love.”

Chase appeared in the films The Rats, Silence, Carolina, Beethoven’s 5th, Yellow, Little Red Wagon, Transference, Killer Crush, Jack Goes Home, and American Romance.

We send our deepest condolences to Daveigh Chase’s family, friends, and fans.

Pictured: Daveigh Chase in ‘Killer Crush’ (2015)

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The sci-fi thriller is unveiling an eerie new poster by artist Hans Woody ahead of its premiere tomorrow night, opening the fest.

Johnny Sibilly (“Hacks”), Alexis Louder (Violent Night), Trace Lysette (“Transparent”), AJ Bowen (You’re Next), and Scott Poythress (I Trapped The Devil) star.

In the film, “One of only two Security Guards employed by ‘The University‘, Andrew Gersh’s days are spent going through the motions. Dismissive of his partner Willis’ growing paranoia about the school’s secretive founder and relentless expansion, Andy’s carefully controlled routine begins to unravel when Willis suddenly vanishes under mysterious circumstances. While patrolling a newly constructed wing, he discovers a sealed room— and inside it, a stranger who returns each night in a newly formed body, as if remade from scratch.

“Guided only by Willis’s final, cryptic warning, Andy’s drawn deeper into a mystery that feels less like an investigation and more like an invitation. As the line between observer and participant begins to blur, he’s forced to confront a chilling possibility: The University isn’t hiding something—it’s building toward something. And Andrew may already be a part of it.“

Horace Gold, Melissa Macedo, Michelle Macedo, and Jennifer Blair round out the cast. Simon Waskow (Cuckoo) will compose the score.

Night After Night is said to harken back to ’70s sci-fi and conspiracy thrillers, featuring morally ambiguous characters.

Stay tuned for more out of Chattanooga Film Fest this weekend.

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Set in the winding back alleys and crumbling tenements of 1990s Saigon, The Scourge plunges players into a world where Vietnamese urban legends and family trauma collide. Players take on the role of Nhat Huy, a man returning to the city of his childhood – only to find that the past refuses to stay buried.

Overwhelmed by delusions due to past tragedies and life’s despair, Nhat Huy frequently finds himself in nightmares. In these dreams, the line between reality and illusion becomes blurred. To free himself from his past, he must confront his sorrows, make amends for his mistakes, and defeat the most formidable enemy that exists not only in his mind, but also in the real world.

Emphasizing fear over action, what sets The Scourge apart is its roots in authentic Vietnamese culture, folklore, and the lived experience of a generation shaped by hardship, guilt, and unspoken grief. Rather than relying on jump scares, the game builds a suffocating atmosphere through environmental storytelling, logic-driven puzzles, and a unique radio-based narrative mechanic that slowly unravels the truth behind Nhat Huy’s haunting.

Oppressive tension in the game is built through environmental design, layered sound, and psychological pressure. Meanwhile, radio broadcasts deliver story fragments, clues, and emotional beats as players explore the decaying city. Meanwhile, your choices shape Nhat Huy’s fate, resulting in one of the game’s multiple endings.

Currently, a film adaptation is in the works for The Scourge, with Doan Si Nguyen directing, and Tran Khanh Hoang handling the writing duties. The film is set for a 2027 release.

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The all-new attraction is based on the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things,” and it’s coming to both Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood.

This year’s Halloween Horror Nights event begins on Friday, August 28 at Universal Orlando Resort and Thursday, September 3 at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Developed in partnership with Netflix, this year’s “Stranger Things” haunted house will showcase the most gripping moments from the final season in an authentic, visceral experience that places guests at the center of the ultimate battle to save Hawkins. Fans will confront the terror they’ve seen on screen as they navigate iconic locations and encounter favorite characters—all while evading a host of horrifying supernatural creatures…including Vecna himself.

The harrowing adventure will immediately transport guests to the town of Hawkins, as the barrier between reality and the supernatural is collapsing to unleash an ominous darkness. As visitors make their way through familiar scenes, including the Wheeler House, Hawkins National Laboratory, the MAC-Z military base, as well as the haunting realms of the Upside Down and the Abyss, they’ll be hunted at every turn by Demogorgons and other sinister creatures. With Vecna on their heels, the terror intensifies, pulling guests into an all-or-nothing battle for survival.

All‑new limited-release merchandise inspired by the “Stranger Things” haunted house will be available. The parks exclusive collection includes a T-shirt and a mug infused with ‘80s nostalgia, plus a new acrylic figure that fits into the separately sold Infernal Carnival collectible display – with additional collectibles representing this year’s lineup coming soon to create one cohesive display.

These items are available now at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood and will launch tomorrow, Thursday, June 18 at 9 a.m. PST on shopUniversal.com.

Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights runs select nights from Friday, August 28 through Sunday, November 1 at Universal Orlando Resort, and from Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, November 1 at Universal Studios Hollywood. Tickets are on sale now.

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Part horror movie and part fitness video, Slashercise will premiere exclusively for BloodStream subscribers on July 1 before expanding to additional platforms on October 1, 2026.

Written and directed by Ama Lea (Deathcember), the retro-styled feature follows “a masked killer known only as Meathead as he stalks the fitness clubs of Los Angeles, turning workout sessions into blood-soaked nightmares. As the city’s top trainers are picked off one by one, a group of determined fitness fanatics must fight back before they become the next bodies on the mat.”

Slashercise features an ensemble cast of horror heavy hitters, too.

Vanessa Decker (Stiletto), John Bloom (The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs), Spencer Charnas (Ice Nine Kills), Sarah French (Blind), Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet), Sarah Nicklin (V/H/S/Halloween), Diana Prince (The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs), Jared Rivet (The Once and Future Smash), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Tiffany Shepis (Victor Crowley), and Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master) star.

“Slashercise is a blood-soaked love letter to 1980s workout videos and slasher movies,” filmmaker Ama Lea said.

Vanessa Decker adds, “We never set out to make a traditional fitness video. We wanted to create an experience horror fans could laugh with, sweat through, and revisit again and again.”

Watch the teaser below that unleashes a killer Meathead in a throwback genre experiment in the vein of Linnea Quigley’s Horror Workout.

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The Asylum (who else?!) will release Summerween on June 26, 2026.

Exclusively watch the official trailer for killer clown horror movie Summerween below.

In the film from writer/director Ryan Ebert, “On Summerween, a former circus clown escapes a mental institution to return to his abandoned mansion and hunt the teens partying there.”

Cole Chapleski, Chase Breithoff, Logan Roe, Sophia Sabol, and Clint Morrison star.

Director Ryan Ebert is the man behind a string of recent indie horrors we’ve covered, including Shark Side of the Moon, The Jolly Monkey, Jurassic Reborn, and Predator: Wastelands.

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A Japanese psychological horror experience inspired by themes of isolation, trauma, and fractured memory, BrokenLore: DON’T LIE places players in the role of Junko, a hikikomori whose carefully controlled world begins to collapse as long-buried memories resurface.

Junko withdrew from the outside world years ago. Now, as reality begins to distort around her, familiar places become twisted reflections of her past, forcing her to confront the people, experiences, and emotions she has spent her life trying to escape.

“At Wired Productions, we’ve built a reputation for publishing distinctive horror experiences that stay with players long after the credits roll” says Wired Productions Co-founder and Managing Director Leo Zullo. “BrokenLore: DON’T LIE is an exploration of isolation, memory, and self-deception that creates an experience which feels deeply human while remaining profoundly disturbing.”

Featuring Japanese voice acting throughout, BrokenLore: DON’T LIE combines exploration, investigation, psychological tension, and shifting realities as players uncover the truth hidden within Junko’s memories. As an unseen presence begins to watch and react to her actions, every discovery brings her closer to truths she may not be ready to face.

The post ‘BrokenLore: DON’T LIE’ Launches September 10 on PC, Consoles; Steam Demo Available Now [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Talk to Me‘s Joe Bird stars as Naim, a new kid in a small Australian suburb who’s introduced as he’s hanging out with new friend Ryan (Stacy Clausen). Playful ribbing quickly leads to romance between the pair, though one that can only carry on in secret. The town’s prominent religious community, of which Naim’s mom (Mia Wasikowska) is a devout member, doesn’t approve of homosexuality.

When the lovers are outed, they’re subjected to a strange conversion-therapy ritual by a mysterious outsider that marks them as targets for an unrelenting, malevolent entity that takes the form of whoever the afflicted desires most.

If that sounds like It Follows, well, it sort of is. Chiarella refines the horror mechanics and metaphor with much sharper precision, ensuring that the scares and emotional gravity of Naim and Ryan’s terrifying predicament reach their intended impact. Here, the lust-induced curse gets very personal, with the entity offering tantalizing temptation in doppelgänger form, hoping to lure its victim close before brutally ripping them apart.

Chiarella uses this as a launchpad to immerse audiences in the horror of constantly living in fear for simply existing. And it’s here where Leviticus rises above its influences with clear purpose. Through the curse, fleeting moments of tender romance or comfort also breed fear and tension. A discreet kiss leaves the cursed vulnerable in more ways than one; safety doesn’t exist for two young teens simply trying to understand their burgeoning emotions.

Ultimately, though, Leviticus owes much of its success to the tremendous performances by its two leads. Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen deftly navigate all the emotional complexities of coming-of-age in a repressed setting that hits too close to home for any reprieve. While the tenderness beneath Ryan’s machismo endears, it’s Naim’s bone-deep fear and melancholy that’s as heartbreaking as it is compelling.

Naim is scared of his emerging feelings, and it’s exacerbated without any avenue to explore them without violent recourse. The threats aren’t just external but internal as well, and it’s those moral and emotional complexities that transform familiar horror formula into something that feels fresh and timely.

Chiarella injects a few potent jump scares that left the Sundance audience shrieking, but does struggle to stage some of the supernatural sieges. The cold open introduces a previous victim of the curse, but only mildly intrigues with its familiar staging. That’s not to say the entity isn’t scary, though; Clausen in particular is a terrifying menace when in Ryan’s doppelgänger form.

Keeping the focus on the star-crossed lovers was the smart and correct choice, but some plot elements feel underutilized by the succinct conclusion. Wasikowska plays her character too guarded, leaving many questions regarding her background and motives unanswered, even if the film gives her a satisfying end to her arc, for example. The rules, though simple and straightforward, can also bend at whim.

Still, Leviticus is a strong debut with an incisive voice at the helm. Chiarella coaxes poignant, layered performances out of his young leads that ensure that the social horror cuts deep, even if some of the more supernatural components occasionally feel stale. We care deeply about Naim and Ryan’s survival, making Leviticus a tense, atmospheric, and claustrophobic vision of young love in a hateful world.

Leviticus made its world premiere at Sundance and releases in theaters June 19, 2026.

Editor’s Note: This Sundance review was originally published January 24, 2026.

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From The Lure director Agnieszka Smoczyńska, the dystopian sci-fi thriller will be released in North American theaters on August 21 via Focus Features.

The genre-bending film is set in “a near future society ruled by sentient AI, where a private eye investigates a murder case, only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord.”

Andrzej Konopka (The Lure), Noomi Rapace (Prometheus), and Reika Kirishima (Drive My Car) star. 

Robert Bolesto (The Lure) wrote the screenplay.

“To me, ‘Hot Spot’ is a story where the main feeling is fear, just like in a horror movie. And in today’s world,” Bolesto previously told Variety. Smoczyńska describes the new project as a “personal blend of horror, science fiction and anti-detective story,” signaling another unique genre-bender from the filmmaker.

The project was developed with the support of The Sundance Institute, which presented Smoczyńska with its 2017 Global Filmmaking Award.

Producers include Klaudia Smieja-Rostworowska at Poland’s Madants, who produced Claire Denis’ High Life and Agnieszka Holland’s Mr Jones, alongside Before Midnight producer Christos V. Konstantakopoulos at Greek production outfit Faliro House. 

Hot Spot will open against Insidious: Out of the Further.

Also on the way from Focus Features is Robert Eggers’ Werwulf on December 25.

The post ‘Hot Spot’ Trailer – Noomi Rapace Stars as a Cyber Witch in Dystopian Sci-Fi Thriller From ‘The Lure’ Director appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The outlet details, “Sphere Studios will use its signature immersive technology to enhance the 1975 film, a cult classic famous for its rowdy midnight showings and audience participation.”

The cult sensation originally released in 1975 and has become the longest-running theatrical release of all time, with the film celebrating its landmark 50th anniversary last year.

The cult musical was created/written by Richard O’Brien and directed by Jim Sharman.

“Through Sphere Studios, we are building a slate of original experiences that push the boundaries of technology and storytelling for this new medium, while always keeping the audience at the center of the experience,” said Jim Dolan, Sphere Entertainment’s executive chairman and CEO. “Since The Rocky Horror Picture Show premiered in 1975, it redefined audience participation and became a cultural phenomenon. With Sphere, we have the opportunity to take that spirit of immersion to an entirely new level.”

The Wizard of Oz at Sphere Las Vegas has been a massive success, generating over $400 million in ticket sales. The release also generated a lot of controversy, with Sphere Studios editing the movie and using AI to essentially create a whole new version of the classic film.

In Rocky Horror, “Fasten your garter belt and relive the time-warping, gender-bending cult classic! When a newly engaged couple’s (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) car breaks down on a rainy night, they wind up in the creepy castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). There, they have an adventure that will thrill you, chill you, and fulfill you like never before!”

Definitive Rocky Horror documentary Strange Journey was just released this month.

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Time and reality blur for stars George Mackay (Wolf, 1917) and Callum Turner (Green Room, “Neuromancer”) in the hallucinatory time travel mystery releasing in New York and Los Angeles theaters on June 19, 2026.

But this isn’t your standard time travel movie.

Rose of Nevada bends time and genre in its exploration of Cornish identity and community, upending the lives of  Nick (MacKay) and Liam (Turner). There’s a listless, dreamy quality to the time travel, and for inspired reason: Jenkin approaches it like a haunting.

While time travel was on his mind early in the writing process, Jenkin’s partner and collaborator asked a question that unlocked Rose of Nevada and inspired the filmmaker.

Jenkin explains, “I remember saying to Mary [Woodvine], my partner, who’s in the film, I said to her, ‘God, it really seems like I’ve fallen into this thing of either making films about ghosts or films about time travel,’ and then she said to me, ‘Yeah, but aren’t all ghost stories just time travel films, and aren’t all time travel films just ghost stories?’ And then I thought, ‘Oh, great. So I’m not making two types of films. I’m actually always making one type of film.’ But that was ultimately liberating because I thought there’s a nice gap or a crossover in the perception of genres, there’s a lot of room to play and to be free within that.”

“Once I’d abandoned the idea that I was going to master quantum physics in any academic sense,” the filmmaker continues, “It was incredibly freeing because I thought, ‘Well, I can just set my own rules here,’ and it really doesn’t matter what the rules are as long as you stick to them. You can’t bend them for the sake of the plot or for the sake of a character arc or something. You have to establish those rules upfront and stick to them, which made me really think I’ve got to limit the time travel element. This film can’t be about time travel.“

Bearing the brunt of the time travel disruption is Mackay’s Nick, a man struggling to support his family before the ill-fated voyage upends his entire world. It’s the type of role that was an easy yes for the actor, simply because of the filmmaker behind it.

“I saw Bait at the cinema when it was first out a few years ago and was so struck by it,” Mackay tells BD. “I just hadn’t seen a film like it. I want to work with the best directors. I want to work with the best directors and people who have a singular vision. As an actor, the process of work is almost my biggest draw, as well as what a story’s saying, but I think you learn by doing, and if I can do my bit in as many different ways as possible. The physicality and the discipline of Mark’s filmmaking, how that is so entwined in the DNA of the film, and therefore in the way that I work within it, that was the biggest draw. I’m just a fan of Mark’s. I was just very pleased to be involved.”

That reflects in Rose of Nevada‘s unique casting; Mackay initially was eyed for Liam.

“When I first got the call to meet Mark at the audition stage,” Mackay said, “We didn’t wind up reading scenes, but they said, ‘There’s a project. There are two roles in it that you could be right for, and Mark is leaning towards you for Liam.’ So, I had a look at Liam, Callum’s role, and had my interpretation of the script ready to talk about it and what I thought that character was, who he was, and how I’m thinking about how I might inhabit that or what I saw in him. And when we met, we didn’t talk about the film at all. We spoke about everything else. But following that meeting, I got the message, said, ‘Mark would like you to be part of the film, but he thinks you’re definitely more of a Nick,’ which I think I just may be a complete sheep because I went, ‘Of course I’m Nick.’

Mackay continued, “But it’s funny, I do have in my own life, I just started a family, and so much of my last few years of being has been trying to figure that balance and what that means and how you navigate that. So with family being at its core and all the kind of conundrums that come with staying level with that, that rang true. So I felt like I understood objectively, I have my interpretations of what both men mean to each other and within the story, but then once I was playing Nick, I just became about a very present focus on who he was and what his situation was. What I liked about him is that he’s a very straightforward bloke. In the best possible way, he’s quite a simple man. It’s just he’s in an extraordinary situation.”

Jenkin wrote Rose of Nevada during the pandemic lockdown that had forced a halt in production on Enys Men. He’d return to rewrite once Enys Men had been completed, creating overlap between films. “They are even more in conversation than you’d think because the first draft of Rose of Nevada was before I’d made Enys Men, and then everything I learned through the making of Enys Men, I fed into Rose of Nevada. But also the reaction to Enys Men, all the critics and writers and audience members who are telling me what Enys Men was about. I’m always the last to realize what I’ve done, I think like most filmmakers. You don’t really know what you’ve made a film about until the audience tells you. I was able to feed that into Rose of Nevada and also scale it up a little bit. So, yeah, in some ways it predates Enys Men, and in some ways it follows on from it,” he said.

Jenkin’s latest caps what’s unofficially been dubbed his Cornish trilogy, a moniker that initially surprised the filmmaker, but he’s come to embrace it. A recent revisit of Bait made it even clearer. “I can now understand why people are linking the three films together. I’d forgotten how linked they are, which is amazing, really, considering the first draft of Bait was written in 1999. So, most of my adult life has been one way or another making this trilogy. I am quite looking forward to starting the next chapter.”

The post ‘Rose of Nevada’ Director Mark Jenkin On Turning Time Travel Into A Ghost Story appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Brainstorm Media will release the film on VOD on August 7, 2026.

In the upcoming slasher, “A nightmare involving a maniac killer in a baby mask serves as inspiration for horror screenwriter Adam Lewis’s new script. As more nightmares, visions, and real life terror begin to challenge Adam’s sanity, he finds himself in a desperate struggle to control his writing, his reality, and who will be Big Baby’s next victim.”

Watch the teaser below as Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier) falls prey to the Big Baby, but with a bloody meta twist.

Krsy Fox (Little Bites, Terrifier 3), Adam Marcinowski (Allegoria), Jordan Elsass (Little Fires Everywhere, Superman & Lois), Radek Lord (Ballers), Sierra McCormick (The Vast Of Night), Chaz Bono (American Horror Story), Kate Freund (Creepshow), Torio Van Grol, Cameron Cowperthwaite (Dahmer, Fallout), Kirby Bliss Blanton (The Green Inferno, Project X), and Nelson Leis (The Last Of Us, The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina) also star.

Written and directed by Spider One, Big Baby is executive produced by pop icon Cher, Chaz Bono, Tyler Connolly, Wendy Berry, and Terry Poor. 

Before making its VOD debut, Big Baby is embarking on an immersive tour with exclusive photo ops and Q&As:

• July 11 from 10-4 pm at Scarepros Levittown, PA – Signing with Spider One and Krsy Fox- Photo Op with Big Baby
• July 12 at 4 pm at Smodcastle – Special Screening Hosted by Kevin Smith, Followed by Q&A with Spider One and Krsy Fox
• July 23 at Culver Theater – Special Screening Hosted by Dead Meat’s James A Janisse
• July 27-August 10 at Slasherworld – Big Baby Exhibit and Photo ops at  Slasherworld
• August 15th at Horror Vibes Coffee – Horror Vibes Coffee in LA with Specialty Drink & Giveaways and Photo Ops

The post Spider One’s Meta Slasher ‘Big Baby’ Unleashes Bloody Teaser Ahead of August Release appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Her Private Hell is rated ‘R’ for “some strong/bloody violence, sexual content, and language.”

Nicolas Winding Refn’s Her Private Hell will be released in theaters July 24 via Neon.

In the film, when a mysterious mist engulfs a futuristic metropolis, unleashing a deadly and elusive entity, a troubled young woman searches for her father. Her quest collides with an American GI on a harrowing odyssey to rescue his daughter from Hell.

Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets”), Charles Melton (“Riverdale”), Kristine Froseth (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Havana Rose Liu (No Exit), and Diego Calva (Babylon) star.

The ensemble also includes Dougray Scott (Hitman), Aoi Yamada (Perfect Days), Shioli Kutsuna (Deadpool & Wolverine), and Hidetoshi Nishijima (Shin Ultraman).

Nicolas Winding Refn directs Her Private Hell from a script he co-wrote with Esti Giordani (“Vida”). Pino Donaggio (Carrie, Don’t Look Now) composed the score.

Refn produces under his byNWR Originals banner. Executive producers include Takuma Takasaki, Kimberly Willming, Christina Erritzøe, and Lene Børglum.

The post Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Her Private Hell’ Rated ‘R’ for Bloody Violence & Sexual Content appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

“Thank you to everyone who played the demo, playtested, and motivated us through this journey,” reads the update from the devteam. “We are incredibly excited for you check it out.”

Drawing on themes of religion, madness, and guilt, MOLE takes place in the eponymous colossal drilling machine deep beneath post-war Slavic soil, where you are the Navigator. Unfortunately, the crew is gone, the vessel is silent, and the Signal won’t stop calling. Your objective is simple: Keep the machine running at all costs.

Players are expected to figure out the machine’s failing systems and do their best to survive what might end up being their casket. No need to worry too much, as operating and maintaining the Mole’s complex systems is done through hands-on interaction. You’ll solve problems using in-world tools, interfaces, and machinery.

Of course, you’ll also need to survive the depths of the Earth as isolation and madness blur your reality. Along your journey, you’ll uncover fragments of your past as memories resurface and decisions echo back, along with the mystery behind your missing crew.

If you’re on the fence about MOLE, and didn’t get the chance to check out the demo prior to its release, Aaron reviewed the game prior to launch, touting it as a “great psychological horror game” for fans of Iron Lung and MOUTHWASHING.

The post Subterranean Psychological Horror Game ‘MOLE’ Out Now on Steam [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

In what sounds like a dystopian (yet honestly, not entirely unrealistic) future, people live entirely through their screens, as going outside has become too risky. You stream for a shady channel called “Follow Us,” ready to do anything to keep your audience’s attention. Your goal is simple: entertain the masses, and stay alive.

Each round lets players choose whether they want to play as EXY the Explorer, who bravely navigates a haunted map, or OPY the Operator, who hangs back to guide EXY and hack the playspace to protect them from the various creatures and hazards in the level. Built on communication rather than complex mechanics, Follow Us creates tension by combining two opposite forces: isolation and connection with your partner.

Every level explores a different kind of fear. EXY faces danger and isolation in the field, while OPY endures helplessness and relentless pressure from the van.

And in keeping with the “friend” theme, Follow Us offers a rarity amongst titles like these: two people can play with just one copy of the game. Of course, the person who doesn’t own the copy of the game will need to download the Friend’s Pass in order to play, but you get the idea.

Follow Us will remain in Early Access for about 6 to 12 months, with the plan to expand the game with new haunted locations, additional enemy types, and improved co-op systems based on community feedback.

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