Survival thriller ROW - Coming to UK cinemas, August

Following its World Premiere and Best UK Feature award win at Raindance Film Festival, Kaleidoscope Entertainment is pleased to announce that oceanic survival-thriller ROW will be in cinemas from 29th August.

Washed ashore in Scotland on a blood-stained rowing boat, a young woman (Bella Dayne) suffering from severe memory loss appears to be the sole survivor of a doomed trans-Atlantic World Record attempt. With all of her crew mates missing, presumed dead, she must try and piece together her fractured memories in order to prove her innocence. 

Directed by Matt Losasso, Row stars Bella Dayne (Humans), Sophie Skelton (Outlander), Akshay Khanna (Murderbot), Nick Skaugen, Tam Dean-Burn and Mark Strepan. Following a theatrical release this August, Row will also be available on DVD & digital platforms from September 29th. 

ROW won the Best UK Feature award at Raindance Film Festival this year, with further nominations received in the Best Performance in a UK Feature (for Bella Dayne), Best Director of a UK Feature (for Matthew Losasso), and Best UK Cinematography categories. The film was called "a riveting feature debut" by The Hollywood News, with Kim Newman stating "the real horrors are in the mind" for this psychological horror.

Filming was shot over five weeks in Caithness, Scotland, with interior filming primarily taking place at the House of the Northern Gate, near John O'Groats. Aquatic scenes were shot using a specially created water tank and shooting at sea, while also using a sound stage.

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

ROW will hit UK cinemas on August 29th and will be available on DVD & digital platforms from September 29th 

 

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2 - At UK cinemas, December.

In 2023, Blumhouse’s box-office horror phenomenon FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S, based on the blockbuster game series by Scott Cawthon, became the highest-grossing horror film of the year. Now, a shocking new chapter of animatronic terror begins.

One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest.

Former security guard Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) have kept the truth from Mike’s 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), concerning the fate of her animatronic friends.

But when Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it will set into motion a terrifying series of events, revealing dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleashing a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.

The cast of FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2 includes returning co-stars Theodus Crane as Jeremiah and the legendary Matthew Lillard as William Afton. The film features new characters played by Freddy Carter (Shadow and Bone, Pennyworth), Wayne Knight (Jurassic Park, Seinfeld), Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters franchise, Annabelle Comes Home) and horror icon Skeet Ulrich (Scream, Riverdale).

FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2 is directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Emma Tammi and is written by game series creator Scott Cawthon.

The film is produced by Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum and Scott Cawthon, who together produced the first film. The executive producers are director Emma Tammi, Beatriz Sequeira, Christopher Warner, Russell Binder and Marc Mostman. 

View the Trailer on YouTube.

 

 

 

Mayhem Film Festival announce THE ARBITER, DEAD BY DAWN and CHESS OF THE WIND as Early Bird Passes go on sale

Mayhem Film Festival is proud to announce the first three films of its 21st edition which will take place at Broadway, Nottingham on 16-19 October 2025.

First up is the latest film from director Marc Price (Nightshooters, Mayhem 2018), THE ARBITER. The leaders of several established rival gangs - and a lone police representative - get together to try and come up with a solution to the arrival of a new group who will only play by their own rules. But trust is hard to come by when you’ve all been fighting for years, and it doesn’t take long before things get increasingly violent and bloody. Marc Price returns with a fast-paced action thriller featuring his signature quirky sense of humour. 

Next up is Dawid Torrone’s DEAD BY DAWN. A group of actors gather in a mysterious theatre to rehearse a new play about witchcraft. Things get eerie quickly and soon enough, the bodies begin to pile up. Is this a simple game of cat and mouse, or are the actors pawns in a greater scheme?  Giallo-infused, Dead by Dawn is a beautifully shot slasher with hints of Stage Fright, and Phantom of the Opera.

To round-up this first wave of announcements, Mayhem will be presenting a screening of Mohammad Reza Aslani’s 1976 CHESS OF THE WIND. After the death of the first lady of a noble house, conflicts erupt as her widower plots to take hold of her estate. Greed, deception and violence are at the heart of this gorgeous Gothic Iranian masterpiece once banned in Iran and presumed lost for many years. 

"Mayhem is back with an international range of cutting-edge genre cinema, gory horror, edge-of-the-seat thrills and essential science-fiction, as well as a lost classic - and at the centre of things the short film showcase brings together the best global - and nearer to home - scary, shocking and surprising shorts... Mayhem marks its 21st birthday in style…”, said Mayhem Co-Director, Chris Cooke.

Stewart Terry, Broadway’s Director of Marketing and Communications, is looking forward to welcoming back the festival: “We can’t wait to host Mayhem Film Festival again this October. The line-up of titles is always bold, interesting, and thought-provoking – as well as blood-curdling and edge-of-your-seat scary. This year looks like it will be no exception, with new titles from celebrated horror directors to curios that very rarely get seen on the big screen. Mayhem Film Festival is what Broadway is all about so make sure you book your ticket!”

Early Bird Passes for the festival will go on sale on Monday 28 July at 5PM. For £85, Early Bird Passes give you access to all films and events for the four days of the festival. They will be available to purchase from Broadway’s website and box office.

More information and announcements about Mayhem’s 21st edition will follow later in the summer.

Mayhem Film Festival will take place at Broadway, Nottingham on 16 – 19 October 2025. For more information, please visit http://www.mayhemfilmfestival.com/

 

Post apocalyptic horror YEAR 10 - On Digital, August.

It’s YEAR 10 of a fear-filled post-apocalyptic nightmare, where society has ceased and the dwindling survivors have become an animalistic pack of cunning cannibals… 
 
Adapted from his short film Coming of Age, Ben Goodger’s (Next Exit) feature debut is told entirely without dialogue, creating a haunting atmosphere to explore the fine line between animal and human. 

Following its acclaimed premiere at FrightFest, Year 10 is set to make its UK digital debut this August courtesy of Reel2Reel Films. 
 
Society has collapsed; survival is everything. Those who remain must scavenge and hunt in the quiet wastelands of the country, while packs of wild dogs roam hungry and feral. 
 
When a young man (Toby Goodger) witnesses his father’s (Duncan Lacroix – Outlander, Outlaw King) brutal murder by a blood thirsty gang of cannibals, he sets off on a gruelling revenge fuelled journey. To make matters worse, the tribe has stolen their remaining medical supplies, leaving his ailing girlfriend (Hannah Khalique-Brown – Barbie, Dune: Prophecy), knocking on death’s door suffering from an infected wound. 
 
Hellbent on avenging his father’s death and saving his love, the young man must battle treacherous elements and vicious wild animals while hunting down the carnivorous killers to retrieve the medication.  
 
Alone and surrounded by deadly threats from all sides of the apocalyptic wasteland, even the strongest of survivors will be tested by the gruelling terrors of YEAR 10. 
 
On Digital 4 August from Reel2Reel Films 

View the Trailer on YouTube.

 

 

 

Extreme, splatter, fetish gore and action/erotic films among the new TetroVideo releases

This month, Gorehounds is pleased to announce the release of five extreme horror films namely Jonathan Doe's Barf Bunny along with the film collections Symphony of Suffering, Beyond the Living Dead, The Basement Tapes and the erotic action film Mask The Kekko: Reborn.

 

 

The five films will be available in the ultralimited numbered and certified Mediabook edition with personalized Blu-ray, Booklet, 4 cards and slipcover.

 

The pre-order is now live on the official TetroVideo and Goredrome websites and will end August 4, after which date the Mediabooks will no longer be available.

 

T-shirts and magnets dedicated to the films can also be purchased on the official websites.

 

BARF BUNNY

Directed by Jonathan Doe (Carving the Cadaver) and starring Felicia Fisher, the extreme film Barf Bunny (2021) is a fetish-gore love letter to gross-out and splatter cinema.

 

It's a fairy-tale nightmare in which a “bunny” with an insatiable appetite and a love for vomit is left alone in a garden to wreak havoc. That is until she is caught and punished with unimaginable and disgusting consequences.

 

In the cast, in addition to Alicia Fisher, there is also the SFX/Makeup artist and director Marcus Koch (Rot, American Guinea Pig: Bloodshock).

 

 

SYMPHONY OF SUFFERING

Symphony of Suffering is a collection of extreme short films and involves some of the most prominent directors of the fetish-gore subgenre such as Jonathan Doe (Erotic Grotesque Nonsense trilogy), Jack Mulvanerty (Scarlet Piss Princess), White Gardenia (Mutilation Theater) and Blucifer (Putrid Menstrual Slime).

 

Symphony of Suffering attempts to demonstrate that the intertwining of grief and art is as deeply infused and rooted in human expression as the origin of music itself.

 

Indeed, the film's soundtrack is one of the “Hurriti Songs” (a hymn in Ugaritic dedicated to the goddess Nikkal), hymns that date from 1400 B.C. and represent the oldest composition of ancient music.

 

Short films featured in Symphony of Suffering:
- Lost&Found by Jonathan Doe;
- Sakura by Blucifer;
- Thalia and Melponeme by White Gardenia;
- Can Carry No Weight by Jack Mulvanerty.

 

BEYOND THE LIVING DEAD

Beyond the Living Dead is a horror anthology film composed of award-winning short films about the living dead from Spain, Italy, France and Japan.

 

Each segment represents a distinct cultural interpretation of the zombie apocalypse and explores what lies beyond death and what refuses to stay buried.

 

Episodes and directors involved in the project:
- Zombie Jesus by Gustavo Aviles (Spain);
- Stop Invasione by Leopoldo Medugno (Italy);
- Rise and Shine by Arnaud Baur (France);
- For What The Doorbell Tolls by Nori Uchida (Japan);
- Fantaterror by Oscar Rip and Nestor Arranz (Spain);
- Durante la Morte by Davide Scovazzo (Italy);
- Matrimonio in collina by Cristiano Stocchi (Italy).

 

View the Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DweT0stm4Bc

 

 

THE BASEMENT TAPES

The Basement Tapes is a collection of four “FilmHorror.com” forgotten Italian short films directed and released only on DVD in the 2000s.

Each segment guides the viewer on a nightmarish descent into the grotesque promising a disturbing journey into visceral nightmares and the darkest recesses of the human mind.

Created by Cristiano Stocchi and written by Francesco Cortonesi, The Basement Tapes explores psychological collapse and terror through four disturbing stories: “Fama” by Mario Alves Rebehy; “Vi amo, addio” by Cristiano Stocchi and Francesco Cortonesi; “Parassiti in bianco” by Cristiano Stocchi and Maurizio Gambini; and “Weekend” by Maurizio Gambini.

View the Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4JnPCL869g 

MASK THE KEKKO: REBORN
Written by Kiminori Komatsu and directed by Nozomu Kasagi, the erotic action film Mask The Kekko: Reborn is based on the manga created by Gō Nagai (Mazinga Z) in 1974, starring the hero of the same name who always acts naked, wearing only gloves, boots and a red mask.

The story features Kekko Kamen (Aino Kishi), a scantily clad hero skilled in acrobatic combat, who makes her appearance at the Sparta Institute, a school where students with poor grades undergo frightening torture under the school headmaster’s direction.

In outrageous attire, completely naked except for her red mask, boots and gloves, she attacks the torturing teachers, igniting a revolution of freedom.

 To order, visit TetroVideo or Goredrome

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Cronenberg's THE SHROUDS - On Digital platforms, August

Four years after his wife's death, businessman Karsh (Vincent Kassel - Irreversable) has invented "GraveTech", a tombstone that broadcasts a live, interactive 3D image of a deceased's decomposing corpse. 

The image is created by a modified shroud, and Karsh plans to be buried with his wife, Becca  (Dianne Kruger - Inglorious Basterds, Unknown) when he dies. 

But when several tombstones in the GraveTech cemetery, including Becca's, are destroyed, and the technology's network is encrypted by hackers, leaving the shrouds unviewable. Karsh sets out to track down the perpetrators.

Also starring Guy Pearce (Iron Man 3, Alien Covenant) and Sandrine Holt (Terminator Genisys, Underworld Awakening), THE SHROUDS is Written and Directed by David Cronenberg and is released to UK and Eire Digital outlets, August 11th from Vertigo releasing.

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

 

 

Linda Hamilton Action Sci-Fi OSIRIS - Coming to Disc and Digital

Sci-fi action thriller OSIRIS, starring Linda Hamilton, is released to Digital Platforms 28 July and on DVD & Blu-ray 1 September  

When a group of trained soldiers discover we’re not alone in the universe, Linda Hamilton is the only thing standing between them and certain death. 

A team of Special Forces commandos wake up on an alien spacecraft with no memory of how they arrived, and quickly discover they are being hunted by a merciless alien race. 

Starring Max Martini (Contact), Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool), Linds Edwards (Homefront) LaMonica Garrett (1883) and Linda Hamilton (The Terminator), OSIRIS is written by William Kaufman (Shrapnel) and Paul Reichelt (The Channel) and is directed by Kaufman.

OSIRIS is available on Digital Platforms 28 July and on DVD & Blu-ray 1 September. Distributed by Signature Entertainment

View the Trailer on YouTube.

 

 

Cannibal slasher THE BOATYARD - Out on Digital, September

Beware of THE BOATYARD – a sadistic slasher not for the faint of heart, that’s filled to the brim with blood, guts and gore.

Mike Ferguson (The Amityville Rising, Desert Dawn) and Susan Lanier (The Hills Have Eyes, Cut!) star as ravenous homicidal maniacs in Dale Stelley’s (Paradise, Bomb Pizza) truly disturbing horror feature, which is released to UK Digital outlets, Sept 22nd, courtesy of Reel 2 Reel Films.

After a wild day of partying, five college students find themselves stranded in the middle of the ocean when their boat mysteriously breaks down. 

 

To their luck, a stranger (Ferguson) emerges from the shadows offering to take the young partygoers back to the boatyard where he can fix up their boat.

Little do they know their knight in shining armour harbours a fiendish hunger for murder, and they’ve unwittingly become his next victims...

One by one the group are picked off and subjected to unimaginable evil, as this psycho killer and his band of merry murderers seek to tease and torture their prey, unveiling new terrifying and torturous methods for each teen.

Filled with tormenting terror and sinister scares, you daren’t risk an ocean excursion any time soon as you never know what evil will be waiting for you back at THE BOATYARD. 

THE BOATYARD is available Digital Sept 22nd, from Reel 2 Reel Films

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

 

Action Thriller DROP - Comes to UK BD and DVD

From Blumhouse, producers of M3GAN, and Platinum Dunes, producers of A Quiet Place, comes DROP, the action-packed thriller that proves dating can be deadly.

DROP, the “deliciously nerve-jangling” (Daily Mirror) action-thriller where everyone in the vicinity is a suspect or victim, is available now to buy on Blu-ray and DVD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and distributed by Spirit Entertainment.

Emmy nominee Meghann Fahy, the breakout star of White Lotus and The Perfect Couple, plays Violet, a widowed mother on her first date in years, who arrives at an upscale restaurant where she is relieved that her date, Henry, played by Brandon Sklenar, is more charming and handsome than she expected. But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone.

She is instructed to tell nobody and follow instructions or the hooded figure she sees on her home security cameras will kill Violet’s young son and babysitting sister. Violet must do exactly as directed or everyone she loves will die. Her unseen tormentor’s final directive? Kill Henry.

From acclaimed director Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day franchise, Heart Eyes), DROP stars Meghann Fahy (“The White Lotus,” Your Monster), Brandon Sklenar (“1923,” It Ends With Us), Violett Beane (“The Flash,” Truth or Dare), and Jeffery Self (“Search Party,” Spoiler Alert).

BONUS FEATURES:
-  FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER LANDON
- A RECIPE FOR THRILLS: MAKING DROP.Join the cast and crew of DROP as they sort through the ingredients of this date gone wrong.
- A PALATE FOR PANIC. Take a seat and devour the details that went into creating Palate, a film set that doubles as a fully operational restaurant.
- KILLER CHEMISTRY. Join Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar as they discuss their characters’ first date and how they managed to keep Violet and Henry grounded throughout the escalation of events.

 

Pre-order the UK BD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK DVD from Amazon.co.uk

 

 

DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS & MALPERTUIS 4K Restorations – Limited Edition Box Set Releases, October

Radiance Films proudly unveils a stunning double feature from visionary Belgian auteur Harry Kümel, whose bold cinematic flair transformed European genre filmmaking in the 1970s. Now, two of his most striking and subversive works DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS and MALPERTUIS have received brand new 4K restorations, that will premiere at London’s seminal FrightFest film festival this August.

A true auteur of European cinema, Harry Kümel is celebrated for his blend of gothic horror, sensuality and high-art aesthetics and now, the director will be in attendance for a Q & A and will also be available for interview. DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS will screen on Saturday 23 August and MALPERTUIS will screen on Sunday 24 August. 

The company also announces that both films will receive the deluxe treatment with their highly anticipated Limited Edition releases, each brimming with atmospheric horror, mythic surrealism and a slew of fantastic special features, to arrive on 13 October 2025.

DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (1971), gets a Limited Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray Box Set and a Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set release. Kümel delivers an unforgettable gothic nightmare, set in an eerily deserted seaside hotel. 

Newlyweds Stefan (John Karlen – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) and Valerie’s (Danielle Ouimet – The Possession of Virginia) honeymoon is disrupted by the arrival of Countess Elizabeth Bathory – played with ethereal menace by Delphine Seyrig (The Day of the Jackal) – and her mysterious companion. 

As night falls and secrets surface, the couple are drawn into a hypnotic vortex of seduction and vampiric terror. Acclaimed for its stunning visuals and unapologetic eroticism, DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS remains one of the most seductive vampire films ever made. 

Pre-order the UK BD of DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS from Amazon.co.uk

The Director’s follow up, MALPERTUIS (1971) – that’s set for a Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set release – plunges audiences into the surreal with a haunting tale of ancient gods, crumbling mansions and cursed bloodlines.

Adapted from the novel by Jean Ray and featuring legendary filmmaker Orson Welles (Citizen Kane) in a towering late-career performance, the film centres on a young man trapped in a labyrinthine house where family secrets blur into mythic horror. 

Jean-Jacques Griffon (Mathieu Carriere – India Song), a disillusioned young man, returns to his ancestral home after his father’s death, only to find the sprawling mansion has become a cryptic maze filled with strange inhabitants. 

His dying father has trapped several relatives and mysterious figures inside Malpertuis, an ancient, decaying mansion rumoured to be a prison for old gods disguised as humans. As Jean-Jacques navigates a world where myth bleeds into reality, he unravels disturbing secrets about his family’s cursed legacy and the supernatural forces at play.

Radiance Films brings together these two cult masterpieces in definitive editions that celebrate the allure of Harry Kümel’s work.

Whether rediscovering these titles or encountering them for the first time, this collection offers an essential window into one of the most visually arresting and intellectually daring voices in European cinema. 

Experience the beguiling terror of DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS and the mythic mystery of MALPERTUIS like never before – two visionary works, one essential release.

Pre-order the UK BD of MALPERTUIS from Amazon.co.uk

 

FrightFest 2025 line-up announcement

Be prepared for the weird, the wild and the wonderful as FrightFest 2025, the UK’s No.1 horror & fantasy film festival, returns to The Odeon LUXE Leicester Square for its annual five-day extravaganza, taking over seven screens, including the two at the ODEON Luxe West End.

 

 

Running from Thursday August 21 – Monday 25 August, FrightFest will showcase sixty-nine features from across the world, embracing twenty-five main screen premieres and forty-four Discovery Screen titles, including the popular ‘First Blood’ strand, the latest genre documentaries, and a 4K restoration retrospective of one of the most game-changing British shockers ever. Plus, there’s the regular short-film strand, now extended to four showcases - to be announced later. This year there are nineteen world premieres, with fourteen countries represented, spanning four continent

 

The festival opens, courtesy of Signature Entertainment, with the UK premiere of THE HOME. From director James DeMonaco, creator of The Purge franchise, comes an instant horror classic, an exhilarating ride into pure suspense-filled terror.  Actor/comedian Pete Davidson gives a fantastic performance as Max; a rebellious twentysomething sentenced to community service at a quiet retirement home.

 

The closing night film is the UK premiere of Kurtis David Harder’s INFLUENCERS. Just when you thought it was safe to travel again, the mysterious chameleon CW pops into your social media feed and activates your FOMO in the second epic instalment of Shudder’s wildly successful original. Harder’s elevated vision is uber elegant, super unsettling, and so deliciously twisted it is destined to be one of the most talked-about genre films of the year.

 

Directors that have become part of the festival’s influential history and long legacy return to the main screen in force this year.  Erik Bloomquist will be attending with his latest cult chiller. SELF-HELP, acclaimed director Simon Rumley returns with CRUSHED, his most raw and unflinching film yet, the renowned Adams family are back with MOTHER OF FLIES, their spiritual sequel to Hellbender, and Joe Begos is in the building with JIMMY AND STIGGS, a wild and wonderful ride in the Evil Dead and Bad Taste tradition.  FrightFest will be the first festival to show the new version with additional Eli Roth footage. Then there is Neil Marshall, who will be presenting the World premiere 4K Restoration screening of THE DESCENT, with some of the original cast also in attendance.

 

 
Other main screen highlights include the UK premieres of THE TOXIC AVENGER, the long-awaited reboot of the 1984 Troma cult classic, the eye-opening A SERBIAN DOCUMENTARY about THAT controversial film, Toshiaki Toyoda’s TRANSCENDING DIMENSIONS - a violent, surreal fantasy that transcends anything you’ve ever seen before, Seth Daly’s stunning mystical home invasion feature film debut, THE ROWS, Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s gripping sex and lies thriller BONE LAKE, WHAT SHE DOESN’T KNOW, a serial killer thriller co-written by Terry Castle, daughter of the legendary showman William Castle, and the McManus Brothers’ are poised for a breakthrough with REDUX REDUX, their genre-bending sci-fi horror about a grieving mother searching for a reality where her murdered daughter is still alive.

 

The main screen also plays host to British entry ODYSSEY, Gerard Johnson’s wild, neon-soaked ride through London’s seedy underbelly, the world premiere of BAMBOO REVENGE, where natural born killing takes on a whole new meaning, COGNAITIVE, a smart sci-fi thriller taking on the ever-growing job-stealing concern of AI, suburban monster horror HOLD THE FORT, pre-teen fear fable MARSHMALLOW, NIGHT OF VIOLENCE, Illya Konstantin’s anti-corporation office invasion horror, and FLUSH, from France, a thrillingly comedic plunge into shitty depths.

 

There are also World premieres for Chris Marrs Piliero’s APPOFENIACS, which horrifyingly portrays how easily deepfake technology can be weaponised, Jeffrey Primm’s slick and smart whodunnit horror 213 BONES, Vatanyu Ingkaviat’s eerily explosive TOMB WATCHER and THE RED MASK, a twisted love letter to the stalk and slash genre.

 

 
This year’s three Discovery strands are as bold and bone-chilling as ever, showcasing emerging and established voices from across the world. The US lead the way with twenty-three entries, including BORDERLINE with Samara Weaving, star of the FrightFest sensation Ready Or Not back for another murderous melee, Patrick Rea’s serial killer clown spree SUPER HAPPY FUN CLOWN, THE HAUNTED FOREST, Keith Boynton’s bloody humorous scare-fest and THE ARBORIST in which winner of the MTV Viewers Choice award and internationally acclaimed director Andrew Mudge takes us on a folk horror journey into the dark unknown.

 

Plus, there are World premieres for Gabriel Carrer’s giallo-tinged revenge shocker DEATH CYCLE, Matt Stuertz’s wildly-imaginative body horror HUMAN, claw-chiller DON’T LET THE CAT OUT, from director Tim Cruz, PIG HILL, a punk rock fever dream of a shocker, adapted from the Nancy Williams novel, BLOOD SHINE,  a new cinematic dimension in sadistic ritualism, NOSEEUMS where Get Out meets Candyman in an impressive feature debut by Raven Carter, PARASOMNIA, James Ross’ powerful shocker which blurs the vulnerable lines between dream and nightmare, and FIVE, where FrightFest is delighted to welcome back Dani Barker, last here with her spectacular tour-de-force performance in Follow Her. This time she’s returning as director, co-writer and actor in a horror comedy destined for cult status.

 

Other Stateside offerings include Cronenberg-esque corporate satire KOMBUCHA, the World premiere of DW Medoff’s YOUR HOST in which Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley returns to the horror genre, dressed-to-kill chiller THE MANNEQUIN,  uber twisted revenge tale IN A COLD VEIN, COVER, in which stamp collecting has never been so deadly, unpredictable slasher thriller THE ONLY ONES, A BLIND BARGAIN in which director Paul Bunnell reimagines the classic shocker, PORTAL TO HELL, where demons and dilemmas combine in an offbeat horror comedy, THE OTHER PEOPLE, a stylish and deeply disquieting suspense thriller, and from Will Canon, director of the FrightFest 2015 hit Demonic, presented by James Wan, comes THE CONFESSION, a haunting twist on the story of the Pied Piper set in rural Texas.

 

 
From the UK we have BAMBI: THE RECKONING, a powerful and gory retelling of the famous 1923 novel and beloved 1942 Walt Disney classic, and cerebral thriller BLOCKHEAD, the first narrative feature from Matt Harlock, the director behind the award-winning documentary American: The Bill Hicks Story.

 

Then there are the Brit upstarts whose films comprise the ‘First Blood’ strand. This year there are four World premiere entries: HE KILLS AT NIGHT, Tom Pickering’s  rollercoaster of a horror thriller, THE CARETAKER, Luke Tedder’s character-driven mystery thriller HEALING ANDY, Villablanca’s horror comedy found footage film entirely shot on an iPhone, and THE HAUNTING AT JACK THE RIPPER’S  HOUSE, Natasha Tosini and Stephen Staley’s harrowing  ghost-story as YouTubers are trapped in the renowned serial killer’s home.

 

From Australia FrightFest welcome back transgender filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay who brings THE SERPENT’S SKIN, her terrifying and tender exploration of love, gender identity and personal growth. Also, from down under is Parish Malfitano’s SALT ALONG THE TONGUE, a uniquely different horror, mixing witchery, spirit possession and exorcism with sheer cinematic poetry.

 

 From Canada we have the World premiere of SICK PUPPY, Jay Reid’s unflinching portrait of a serial killing married couple, along with Ava Maria Safai’s FOREIGNER which explores the terrifying cost of assimilation, and the haunting power of an identity denied. Then, from New Zealand is the International premiere of flesh-eating THE WEED EATERS 

 

From Europe we have the Norwegian entry ABOVE THE KNEE. Viljar Bøe, the director of the quirky FrightFest entry Good Boy, returns with an equally provocative story about a man suffering from Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID). Another mental condition, agoraphobia, forms the plot for Spanish director Juan Albarracín’s  EL INSTINTO / INSTINCT.

 

Iconic personalities are the subject of this year’s documentaries. In CAPTURED SOULS: IN CONVERSATION WITH GRAHAM HUMPHREYS, where director Chris Collier explores the life and legacy of the UK's most iconic horror illustrator. whilst in WHERE IS JUAN MOCTEZUMA? Alaric S. Rocha’s fun mockumentary unravels the mysterious disappearance of legendary 1970s Mexican horror film auteur Juan F. Moctezuma.

 

Another infamous personality was Andy Milligan, a pioneer of avant-garde theatre a trailblazer of early Queer cinema, and one of the most divisive talents in exploitation/horror history. Now in THE DEGENERATE: THE LIFE & FILMS OF ANDY MILLIGAN the truth can be told about ‘The Fassbinder of 42nd Street’.

 

 
Dare you venture into the ‘time warp’? What is the secret behind the success of The Rocky Horror Picture Show? In the year of its 50th Anniversary, Andreas Zerr’s SANE INSIDE INSANITY: THE ROCKY HORROR PHENOMENON charts it all, from humble two-page script written in crayon and Off West End smash hit to flop film adaptation and global Midnight Movie cult success. With fantastic archive footage, new key cast interviews and a wealth of trivia information, this is the ultimate chronicle about the Queen Mother of B movie musicals.

 

And finally, FrightFest presents two Animation masterpieces. The first, from Latvia is the UK premiere of DOG OF GOD, the historical depiction of the most famous werewolf trial in Northern Europe. Be prepared for an orgy of werewolves, sexual raves, witches and wizards.

 

The second presentation is the Korean entry GILL, Director Jae-huun Ahn is the director of Meditation with a Pencil, a Korean animation studio, whose previous critically acclaimed works includes Green Days and The Shaman Sorceress.

 

The festival guest line-up and full details for the Short Film Showcases and other events will be revealed soon.

 For booking and programme details: https://www.frightfest.co.uk

Social media channels

FaceBook: FrightFestreal 
Twitter: @frightfest 
Instagram: @frightfestUK 

THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY - SERIES 2 - On Disc and Digital, Sept

The undead are back, and this time they’re not the only ones raising hell in Manhattan, as THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY returns for a gritty, gore-filled journey into the heart of post-apocalyptic New York with fan favourites Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen, Supernatural, The Boys) as Negan and Lauren Cohan (The Boy, The Vampire Diaries) as Maggie at the helm. 

The second series plunges us deeper into the twisted relationship between the battle worn pair, as they navigate a city crawling not just with walkers but power-hungry enemies both old and new.  

After the resounding success of the first season and hot on the heels of its transmission on Sky Max, THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY SERIES 2 arrives on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital on 29 September 2025, alongside the Series 1 & 2 Box Set, courtesy of Acorn Media International. The Blu-ray and DVD also feature a fantastic reversible sleeve making it the perfect addition to any fan’s collection. 

Picking up where the action-packed first series left off, we see our uneasy allies thrown into opposite sides of a brutal turf war that threatens to consume what’s left of civilisation. New alliances are formed and old loyalties are tested as the shadowy New Babylon Federation steps in, bringing with it a whole new set of dangers and political intrigue. With factions at war, vicious new enemies emerging and the walkers more ruthless than ever, Maggie (Cohan) and Negan (Morgan) must decide whether survival means standing together… or apart.  

The first series introduces us to a broken Manhattan, overrun with the undead and ruled by chaos. Maggie, now a hardened leader, joins forces with former nemesis Negan to rescue her kidnapped son, Herhsel (Logan Kim – Ghostbusters), from the clutches of the sadistic Croat (Željko Ivanek – Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri). Joined by mysterious newcomer Ginny (Mahina Napoleon – NCIS: Hawai’i) and pursued by merciless marshals, the pair journey through New York’s crumbling skyline where horrors lurk around every corner and not just the flesh-eating kind.  

With a gripping narrative, electric performances and jaw-dropping set pieces – and let’s not forget kick-ass zombie action – this is a must-own for any fan of THE WALKING DEAD. 

Pre-order Series 2 on BD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order Series 2 on DVD from Amazon.co.uk 

Supernatural Creature Thriller THE DROWNED - Coming To Digital Platforms

Sunrise Films and Vertigo Releasing are excited to announce their upcoming multi-territory release of Samuel Clemens’ debut feature THE DROWNED, starring Alan Calton (Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning), Lara Lemon (War Of The Worlds: The Attack) and Lily Catalifo (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), alongside Dominic Vulliamy (BBC One’s Rules Of The Game), Corrinne Wicks, Michelangelo Fortuzzi,  and Sandrine Salyères. 

Woven with references to Greek mythology, THE DROWNED follows three thieves who have just stolen a priceless painting and arrive at a secluded safe house by the sea, only to discover their fourth accomplice is missing. They must question whether one of them was responsible for her disappearance, or if the blame lies with a more sinister presence lurking in the deep water below. 

The film, formerly known as The Waterhouse, premiered in London at FrightFest Halloween and will release via Sunrise Films on major digital platforms in North America on 7th October and in Australia and New Zealand on 8th October. Sister company Vertigo Releasing will release digitally on 6th October in the UK and Ireland.

THE DROWNED was produced by Agam Jain, George Clemens and Fernando Ruiz for Take The Shot Films, and James Kermack and Julien Loeffler for Featuristic Films. Raven Banner Entertainment is selling the film worldwide. 

Watch the trailer on YouTube.

 

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - to Open in the West End this December.

Following its electrifying run at Leeds Playhouse last summer, Melting Pot today announces that the critically acclaimed stage adaptation of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films will haunt the West End this winter when it transfers to The Ambassadors Theatre for a 12-week season. 

 

 
A new story inspired by the worldwide horror phenomenon, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, a new story live on stage, is directed by immersive theatre pioneer and Punchdrunk’s Founder and Artistic Director, Felix Barrett and written by playwright Levi Holloway, whose pulse-pounding theatrical thriller Grey House chilled Broadway audiences, will begin performances on Friday 5 December, 2025. Tickets go on sale Wednesday 9 July at noon.

 

James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are… Inspired by the iconic, terrifying film series, Paranormal Activity is a new story live on stage.

 

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY reimagines the modern ghost story with an unsettling intimacy only theatre can provide. Immersing audiences in an atmosphere of creeping dread, unseen forces, and psychological tension, Levi Holloway’s script offers a bold reinterpretation of the original, blending domestic horror with mind-bending theatricality. Felix Barrett, known for breaking boundaries between audience and performer, brings his signature visionary style to the production. With innovative staging and chilling soundscapes, Paranormal Activity invites audiences to witness the inexplicable up close—and feel the fear in real time.

 

Praised for its inventive storytelling and terrifying atmosphere, the West End transfer promises to amplify the experience even further, making it a must-see event for thrill-seekers and theatre lovers alike. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY will undertake a North American tour this autumn, visiting the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles; Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington DC and American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco, ahead of opening in London this December.

 

Director Felix Barrett says of the West End transfer: "I’m so thrilled that Paranormal will have a chance to ensnare and unnerve audiences in London later this year! From seeing the advertising campaign of the film twenty years ago, where you watched cinema audiences leap out of their chairs in horror, I have long wondered how you could recreate that visceral reaction in a theatre setting. How do you bring one of the most frightening films to life? How do you break the inherent safety that a plush West End theatre offers? It’s been an incredible challenge, and we cannot wait to see how London audiences respond!"

 

For more info and to book tickets visit https://www.paranormalonstage.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ti West's THE INNKEEPERS - Limited Dual Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray, August

Second Sight Films is ready to take your booking for its latest horror classic to get the Limited Edition treatment – THE INNKEEPERS. The critically acclaimed, award-winning early work from horror auteur Ti West, one of the most prominent horror filmmakers of his generation, gets a major makeover in a newly restored 4K version, approved by the director himself, this Summer.

Described by View London as ‘unmissable and one of the best films of the year - 5 stars’ and ‘an old fashioned ghost story, made the more piquant by Paxton’s sympathetic, funny, vulnerable lead performance’ by Screen Daily, THE INNKEEPERS - Limited Dual Edition 4K UHD/Blu-ray arrives 25 August 2025, alongside Standard versions.

The Limited Edition Box Set is presented in a stunning rigid slipcase with new artwork by Nick Charge witha fascinating 120-page book with new essays. All versions come complete with a slew of special featuresincluding brand new interviews with the director, cast, cinematographer and much more. 

As the once-grand Yankee Pedlar Inn prepares to close its doors for good, two intrepid employees, Claire (Sara Paxton – Aquamarine, The Last House on the Left) and Luke (Pat Healy – Killers of the Flower Moon, Better Call Saul), decide to document the hotel’s legendary ghost stories during its final weekend.

Armed with outdated recording equipment and a shared obsession with the supernatural, they tour the empty halls, hoping to capture evidence of the infamous spirit said to haunt Room 353.

But as night falls and with only a handful of guests remaining, including retired actress turned paranormal expert, Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis – Top Gun, Witness, The Accused), an eerie darkness starts to fill the old building.

As strange sounds begin echoing from the basement and visions flicker at the edge of perception, Claire’s curiosity turns into a creeping dread. What begins as a ghost-hunting lark becomes a descent into real terror, as the line between myth and reality starts to blur. Will The Innkeepers make it out alive?

Be sure to make your reservation with THE INNKEEPERS Limited Edition, for a hauntingly chilling journey beyond your wildest nightmares.

Special Features
▪ New Second Sight Films 4K restoration approved by director Ti West
▪ Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features
on both discs
▪ UHD presented in HDR with Dolby Vision
▪ Audio commentary with writer/director/Editor Ti West, producers Larry Fessenden and
Peter Phok, and Sound Designer Graham Reznick
▪ Audio commentary with Ti West and actors Sara Paxton and Pat Healy
▪ A Lasting Memory: a new interview with Ti West
▪ Let's Make This Good a new interview with Pat Healy
▪ Our Dysfunctional World: a new interview with Larry Fessenden
▪ Living in the Process: a new interview with cinematographer Eliot Rockett
▪ Cast a Wide Net: a new interview with composer Jeff Grace
▪ A Validating Moment: a new interview with line producer Jacob Jaffke
▪ The Innkeepers: Behind the Scenes
▪ Trailer

Limited Edition Contents
▪ Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Nick Charge
▪ 120-page book with new essays by Becky Darke, Barry Forshaw, Prince Jackson, Craig Ian Mann, Rebecca Sayce and Heather Wixson
▪ Six collectors' art cards 

Pre-order the Limited Edition 4K UHD/BD from Amazon.co.uk 

 

THE CONJURING - Special 4K UHD collectors editions, coming August

THE CONJURING, the 2013 New Line Cinema supernatural horror film from filmmaker James Wan will be released for the first time on 4K UHD, 4K UHD SteelBook and as a 4K UHD Collector's Edition on August 25. 

THE CONJURING launched the highest grossing horror franchise to date with more than $2.2 billion at the worldwide box office.  

From New Line Cinema comes a feature film drawn from the case files of married demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. THE CONJURING stars Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air) and Patrick Wilson (Insidious) as the Warrens, and Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor as Roger and Carolyn Perron, residents of the house. 

Joey King, Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland, Mackenzie Foy and Kyla Deaver play the Perrons’ five daughters, and Sterling Jerins is the Warrens’ little girl, Judy. Rounding out the cast are Marion Guyot as Judy’s grandmother; Steve Coulter as Father Gordan; Shannon Kook as the Warren’s investigative assistant, Drew; and John Brotherton as the local law enforcement official skeptical of the Perrons’ claims and the Warrens’ tactics.

James Wan (Saw, Insidious) directs from a screenplay by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes (The Reaping). The film is produced by Tony DeRosa-Grund, Peter Safran and Rob Cowan, with Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter serving as executive producers. Reuniting with the director are members of his Insidious creative team, director of photography John R. Leonetti, editor Kirk Morri, costume designer Kristin M. Burke, composer Joseph Bishara and his Saw production designer, Julie Berghoff. 

About the Film:

Before there was Amityville, there was Harrisville. THE CONJURING tells the horrifying true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, world renowned paranormal investigators, who were called to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful demonic entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives. 

The 4K UHD contains the following special features:

Scariest of Them All (NEW)
The cast and creators of The Conjuring take a look back at some of the greatest scares of the series, uncovering what made these films so iconic.

Reflections on the Conjuring (NEW)
More than a decade after the release of the original film, the cast and crew of The Conjuring reflect on their experiences creating one of the most legendary horror series in history.

The Conjuring: Face-to-Face with Terror
Relive the real-life horror as the Perron family comes together to reflect back on the farmhouse they shared with diabolical spirits for nearly a decade.

A Life in Demonology
The real demonologist and paranormal experts from The Conjuring take you inside their life’s work and into their personal occult cellar, where they keep haunted and unholy relics from their many cases.

Scaring the “@$*%” Out of You
Director James Wan (Saw, Insidious) welcomes you into his world and gives an inside look at the at the scenes that scare the “@$*%” out of moviegoers time and time again.

The 4K Ultra HD Collector's Edition contains the following additional features:

SteelBook
- Rigid slipcase with soft-touch finish
- A3 double sided theatrical poster
- 5x double sided character cards
- 6x behind the scenes cards
- 8-page Warren booklet
- Hide-and-Clap game instructions
- “Based on the true case files of the Warrens” sticker

Pre-order the UK 4K UHD Collectors Edition with Steelbook from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the UK 4K UHD Steelbook Edition from Amazon.co.uk 

Pre-order the UK 4K UHD Standard Edition from Amazon.co.uk

Post-Apocalyptic thriller 40 ACRES - in Select UK cinemas, August

Vertigo Releasing is pleased to announce that they will be releasing the post-apocalyptic thriller 40 ACRES in UK and Irish cinemas from 1st August.

Hailey Freeman (Deadwyler) and her family are the last descendants of African American farmers who settled in 1875 in rural Canada after the first Civil War. In a famine-decimated future they struggle to make their last stand against those intent on taking their home.

Starring Danielle Deadwyler (Till, I Saw The TV Glow, Carry-On), Kataem O'Connor (Murdoch Mysteries, Time Cut, Heartland), and Michael Greyeyes (The King Tide, 1923, Wild Indian), the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year to rave reviews from critics. 40 ACRES is certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 91% critic score*.

40 ACRES was directed by R.T. Thorne (Blindspot, The Porter), who brought over 20 years experience in directing to the production. 40 Acres is his feature debut, with a script he co-wrote with Glenn Taylor, and a story by Thorne and Lora Campbell (#Interns, Yoga 101).

40 ACRES will be in selected UK cinemas from 1st August and on digital platforms from 4th August 

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

 

Seasonal Slasher HELL OF A SUMMER - Available now, on Digital

Set during a chaotic weekend at a remote summer camp, HELL OF A SUMMER follows 24-year-old counselor Jason Hochberg (Fred Hechinger), a frequent returner at Camp Pineway whose biggest concern is surviving a summer spent among his teenage co-workers. 
 
What begins as an awkward attempt to fit in quickly unravels into a nightmare, as a masked killer begins stalking the campgrounds, turning a season of fun into a fight for survival. 

Written and directed by Billy Bryk and Finn Wolfhard in their feature debut, HELL OF A SUMMER blends slasher thrills with sharp wit and self-aware humor, delivering a fresh and stylish homage to the genre’s golden age. 

HELL OF A SUMMER is written and directed by Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk. It stars Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things, It), Fred Hechinger (Kraven the Hunter, Gladiator II), D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Warfare, Caught Stealing), Pardis Saremi (Literally, Right Before Aaron), Abby Quinn (Knock at the Cabin), Billy Bryk (When You Finish Saving the World), Adam Pally (Sonic the Hedgehog), Susan Coyne (Mozart in the Jungle), Julia Lalonde (The Lake) and Matthew Finlan (Orphan: First Kill). It’s produced by Billy Bryk, Michael Costigan, Fred Hechinger, Jay Van Hoy and Finn Wolfhard. 
 
HELL OF A SUMMER is available to Buy or Rent on Digital now, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

 

Ghostly Doc AREAS OF HIGH STRANGENESS: STIMSON HOSPITAL - Available Digitally...

VIPCO & BayView Entertainment have released the documentary AREAS OF HIGH STRANGENESS: STIMSON HOSPITAL, which is now available on Digital Platforms worldwide including to rent/buy on Amazon Prime Video.

Ghosts and demon docs continue to top the watch lists of all platforms!

Synopsis:
The documentry follows a Demon Hunter Society as they investigate Stimson Hospital in Eaton Rapids, Michigan—an abandoned medical facility with a reputation for unexplained phenomena. 

The team documents their exploration, uncovering what they claim to be disturbing evidence of supernatural activity tied to the building’s dark past. 

AREAS OF HIGH STRANGENESS: STIMSON HOSPITAL was Written and Directed by Jeffrey Checker.

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

 

Al Pacino and Dan Stevens battle Satan in THE RITUAL - Available now, on Digital

Altitude has announced that the real life exorcism horror, THE RITUAL, is available to watch at home now on digital platforms. After a wide theatrical release on 30th May, the film will now be available to watch at home.

Based on True Events. The harrowing true story of the exorcism of Emma Schmidt, and the two priests who went to war with Satan to save her soul.

THE RITUAL stars Academy Award-winner Al Pacino (The Godfather trilogy), and Dan Stevens (Abigail), with Ashley Greene (The Twilight Saga) and Abigail Cowen (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) rounding out the cast. The film was directed by David Midell (The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain), who co-wrote the film with Enrico Natale (Catalyst).

Using extensive notes taken at the time by Father Steiger, portrayed by Dan Stevens, THE RITUAL is a faithful and terrifying depiction of the case of Emma Schmidt (Abigail Cowen), also known as Anna Ecklund. With her first episode having been documented at age fourteen, Emma Schmidt’s alleged decades of demonic possession culminated in a series of exorcisms in 1928. Her case was taken on by Father Theophilus Riesinger, portrayed in the film by Academy Award-winner Al Pacino.

The production was filmed in a real parish. The local priest, Father Aaron Williams, consulted about exorcisms and the struggles of witnessing such rituals, as well as the effects on the sufferers.

View the Trailer on YouTube. 

Watch THE RITUAL now on Altitude.film and other digital platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon, Rakuten, and Virgin TV