News

“Lucid,” a handmade horror film about a frustrated ’90s art punk’s trippy quest for inspiration, first emerged at Fantasia as a participant in Frontières’ 2022 Shorts to Features lab and is returning to Montreal next week fully metamorphosed.

Ahead of the Canadian film’s world premiere on July 21 in the Fantasia International Film Festival’s Septentrion Shadows program, “Lucid” co-directors Deanna Milligan and Ramsey Fendall have shared the trailer in exclusivity with Variety.

“Frontières gave us the chance to test-drive the surreal and handmade tone, sharpen our vision, and connect with a kind, yet brutally honest, community of genre lovers who didn’t flinch when we pitched them a Fried Chicken Monster,” Milligan told Variety last week.

“Making art and indie film is an act of rebellion,” she said. “We had to create this film outside traditional industry structures, and we were able to get through production thanks to an...

“America is the final girl, and I hope she survives.”

Salem Horror Fest‘s eighth annual event kicked off last night at Salem’s Peabody Essex Museum, and festival manager Leslie Adams‘ brief opening statement — which concluded with the above quote — assured attendees that the event remains steadfast in its mission to cultivate a safe, inclusive, and fun community for genre fans.

This year’s festival is the first under the new leadership of Horror Arts Collective — formed by legacy staff members in the wake of founder Kay Lynch stepping down last year — but the team upholds the ethos instilled by Lynch, who cheered on her successors from the front row like a proud mom.

The new guard also upheld the tradition of kicking off with a memorable opening night headlined by a horror icon, with Hellraiser‘s Ashley Laurence serving as this year’s guest of honor. Media personality...

A few years ago, the idea of a woman being prosecuted for having a miscarriage or stillbirth sounded like something out of a dystopian horror movie. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, this scenario has become a horrifying reality. Filmmaker Izzy Lee’s debut horror feature film, House of Ashes, cleverly utilizes the powerful combination of grief, loss of bodily autonomy, and toxic masculinity to tell a story that is contemporary and remarkably effective, led by a powerhouse performance from Fayna Sanchez.

House of Ashes was written by Izzy Lee and Steve Johanson (Meat Friend) and directed by Lee. Producers include C. Robert Cargill, Jenn Wexler, and Kyle Edward Ball (Skinamarink), and filmmaker Joe Lynch even has a cameo.

The film follows a woman named Mia (Fayna Sanchez), who is living in a nightmare she can’t wake up from. Mia and her husband Adam (Mason Conrad) run a...

Dang, February is not that far off. Better check in on our friends over at Arrow and see what they have lined up for us on the Arrow Player next month.    A friend to many Anarchists, Jenn Wexler, is the focus of next month's Selects portion of the programming. Keeping with the spirit of the season, this Valentine's month features the program Love Sucks, a small selection of vampire flicks.    Japan is also in season as there are a quartet of terrific crime and gangster flicks lined up for subscribers. The four titles include Kinji Fukasaku's Wolves, Pigs and Men, Kazuo Mori crime flicks A Certain Killer and A Killer's Key, and Junk Fuji as Red Peony Gambler.    There are the usual amount...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Madison Baines in The Sacrifice Game

After opening the 2018 edition of FrightFest with her début feature, The Ranger, filmmaker Jenn Wexler's 2023 sophomore feature, The Sacrifice Game (2023), was chosen to close the festival. It's a remarkable privilege to have opened and closed the UK's most prestigious genre festival only two films into her directing career.

In August 2023, in London, I sat down with Wexler to discuss the Christmas-themed The Sacrifice Game — hours before she was due to walk on stage and introduce the film to the West End audience.

The striking thing about Wexler is her layered presence. While outgoing, you can sense an introverted side to her personality—her self-reflective nature, perhaps. Talking with her, you realise that there's a piece of her folded into her films, which reminds me of something filmmaker Rebecca Miller told me: "…if they are made honestly, all pieces of art...

Christmas is arriving this week, which means that the final call for holiday preparations is at hand. It’s now time to cram in every last bit of holiday horror our eyeballs can handle.

The good news is that there’s no shortage of Christmas horror available. This week’s streaming picks bring double the dose of holiday horror fun to help you get through the week.

As always, here’s where you can stream these holiday horror movies this week.

For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.

Adult Swim Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out – Max

Casper Kelly’s surprise sequel drops the kitchen sink approach in favor of a more streamlined horror movie that understands just how silly Hallmark holiday movies can be. That’s both good and bad news for the first film’s survivor, Zoe (Andrea Laing). Zoe finds herself in a small-town Christmas wonderland,...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!

28 Days Later Apparel from Alternate Ending

In honor of the 28 Years Later trailer drop, Alternate Ending has been infected by 28 Days Later apparel.

The end is nigh with two promo-style T-shirts ($28), a hat ($27), four 12×18 posters ($10), and three stickers ($4).

Pre-orders run through December 22 and will ship 4-8 weeks later.

Jack Frost Figure from Distinctive Dummies

‘Tis the season for holiday horror, so Distinctive Dummies has crafted a 1:9 scale Jack Frost figure.

The 9″ collectible comes with two swappable heads (regular and melted), four swappable arms, axe, stop sign, and display base are included.

Limited to 50, the killer snowman costs $129.99 at Monsters in Motion. Shipping is slated for early January.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Vinyl from...

The Shudder Original TV series “Horror’s Greatest,”, streams Season Two, December 31, 2024 on AMC and AMC+:

“…’Horror’s Greatest’ is a deep dive into everything horror — from fresh looks at classics to unearthing scores of hidden gems, this series has something for every fright film enthusiast.

“A gallery of ghoulish pros, including actors, directors, writers, composers and special effects artists, draw on their unique knowledge to answer the big questions:

“What are the must-see films in horror’s many sub-genres? What’s the appeal of horror tropes, and how do today’s filmmakers subvert our expectations?

“Interviews include David Dastmalchian, Kate Siegel, Joe Hill, Tom Holland, Jenn Wexler, Ted Geoghegan and Dewayne Perkins.

“Also featured are Jonah Ray Rodrigues, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Alex Winter, Tananarive Due and Dracmorda Boulet.”

Click the images to enlarge…...

The streaming service Shudder has announced that their docu-series “Horror’s Greatest” will be returning for a second season, and the official trailer previews the new episodes.

You’re invited to ring in the new year with Shudder to celebrate the new season of Shudder Original series “Horror’s Greatest” debuting Tuesday, December 31. Watch the trailer below.

“Horror’s Greatest” Season 2 which features interviews with David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Kate Siegel, Joe Hill, Tom Holland, Jenn Wexler, Ted Geoghegan (Brooklyn 45), Dewayne Perkins (The Blackening), Jonah Ray Rodrigues (Destroy All Neighbors), Gigi Saul Guerrero, Alex Winter (Destroy All Neighbors), Tananarive Due (Horror Noire), Swanthula and Dracmorda Boulet (The Boulet Brothers Dragula), Joe Begos (Christmas Bloody Christmas) and more.

The series, also available to stream on AMC+, comes from Marwar Junction Productions (Perfect Wife), the producers of “The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time.”

“Horror’s Greatest” is a deep...

Ring in the new year with Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, to celebrate the new season of Shudder Original series Horror’s Greatest, debuting on Tuesday, December 31.

Today, the streaming service released the trailer and key art for Season 2, which features interviews with David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Kate Siegel, Joe Hill, Tom Holland, Jenn Wexler, Ted Geoghegan (Brooklyn 45), and Dewayne Perkins (The Blackening).

Also featured are Jonah Ray Rodrigues (Destroy All Neighbors), Gigi Saul Guerrero, Alex Winter (Destroy All Neighbors), Tananarive Due (Horror Noire), Swanthula and Dracmorda Boulet (The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula), Joe Begos (Christmas Bloody Christmas) and more.

The series, which is also available to stream on AMC+, comes from Marwar Junction Productions (Perfect Wife), the producers of The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time. Horror’s Greatest is a deep dive into everything we love about...

Larry Fessenden’s career in horror films will be honored at the 2024 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Bhff).

The indie filmmaker, who launched his career with a Frankenstein story in 1991’s “No Telling,” will be celebrated with the Leviathan Award to mark his cinematic achievements. A special screening of Fessenden’s 1996 film “Habit” will also be part of the ceremony. Fessenden will participate in a Q&a with Bhff alum Jenn Wexler.

The Leviathan Award, Brooklyn Horror’s first and only tribute award, was created in 2023 to honor the luminaries of horror and acknowledge their monstrous contributions to the genre.

Fessenden is credited by the festival for being an “irreplaceable” voice in filmmaking. Fessenden is the founder of Glass Eye Pix, which has sustained indie horror in New York for three decades and counting.

“Larry Fessenden is exactly the kind of trailblazing and enduring artist we want to celebrate, one whose...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its 2024 edition, which runs from Oct. 17-24. All films will be screened at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations.

Opening with Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy’s crime thriller “Dead Mail,” Bhff will feature the North American premieres of Tiago Teixeira’s erotic body horror “Custom,” Phillip Escott and Sarah Appleton’s late ’90s horror documentary “Generation Terror” and Sasha Rainbow’s “Grafted” starring Jess Hong.

Films receiving their world premieres at Bhff include Izzy Lee’s directorial debut “House of Ashes,” the queer science fiction adventure “Psychonaut” and “Lilly Lives Alone” starring Jeffrey Combs.

“Fear in Focus” is set to return for Bhff 2024, with this year’s rendition centering around horror films from Spain. The sidebar program will feature a 35mm screening of “The Blood Spattered Bride” and a showing of the Spanish version of “Dracula” with...

It’s a Friday the 13th treat. Shudder announced today a supersized “Season of Screams” programming event kicking off today, Friday the 13th, and featuring an epic lineup of new film releases, series, specials and live watch parties on Shudder TV.

The three-month celebration of the best in horror will also bring back an all-new Ghoul Log, Shudder’s popular Halloween Hotline for those in need of horror movie recommendations from Shudder’s Head of Programming Samuel Zimmerman, and spotlight popular horror franchise films from Friday the 13th to Children of the Corn, a press release tells us. Shudder will also feature a special limited-time offer for horror connoisseurs craving scares all year long, with an annual plan available at a 31% discount for the 31 Days of October.

Shudder’s Season of Screams features highly anticipated films such as the acclaimed In A Violent Nature, a new installment in the popular...

Grotesquerie Trailer: "In Ryan Murphy’s 10-episode drama series Grotesquerie for FX, a series of heinous crimes have unsettled a small community. “Detective Lois Tryon” feels these crimes are eerily personal, as if someone—or something—taunting her. At home, Lois grapples with a strained relationship with her daughter, a husband in long-term hospital care and her own inner demons. With no leads and unsure of where to turn, she accepts the help of “Sister Megan,” a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. Sister Megan, with her own difficult past, has seen the worst of humanity, yet she still believes in its capacity for good. Lois, on the other hand, fears the world is succumbing to evil. As Lois and Sister Megan string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers.

The series stars Niecy Nash-Betts as “Detective Lois Tryon,...

Shudder’s newest survey series, Horror’s Greatest, starts streaming today on the platform and the next four weeks. Over the course of five episodes an array of experts, from filmmakers, actors, academics and such, weigh in on five categories. They are, drum roll please: Tropes & Cliches, Giant Monsters, Japanese Horror, Horror Comedies and Stephen King Adaptations. Ooo-ooooh. A bevy of our friends, paragons and contemporaries chime in on some of their favorites. The list includes The Boulet Brothers, Axelle Carolyn, David Dastmalchian, Ted Geoghegan, Brea Grant, Author Joe Hill, Morgana Ignis, DeWayne Perkins, Jeffrey Reddick, Kate Siegel, Jenn Wexler, and Alex Winter. You know, to name a few. Then there are ‘horror authorities’, a list includes academics like Rebecca McKendry, Film historian Nathanial...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Shudder, AMC Networks' premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, reveal their new series “Horror's Greatest”, from showrunner Kurt Sayenga, including interviews with David Dastmalchian, Joe Hill, Tom Holland, Jenn Wexler, Dewayne Perkins, Jonah Ray Rodrigues, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Alex Winter, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Tananarive Due, Swanthula and Dracmorda Boulet, premiering August 27, 2024 on Shudder and AMC+:

“…’Horror's Greatest’ offers a fresh look at classics to unearthing scores of hidden gems, with something for every fright film enthusiast.

“A gallery of ghoulish pros, including actors, directors, writers, composers and special effects artists…

“…draw on their unique knowledge to answer the big questions: What are the must-see films in horror's many sub-genres?

“What's the appeal of horror tropes and just how do today's filmmakers subvert our expectations?”

Click the images to enlarge…...

"When you're adapting Stephen King, the story is the most important thing." Shudder has revealed a quick trailer for a documentary series called Horror's Greatest debuting starting at the end of the month. With new episodes dropping weekly. A deep dive into horror! Embark on a thrilling journey through the genre's best with insights from the masterminds behind your favorite scares. This follow-up series to Shudder's The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time features a comprehensive look at all sides of the horror movie genre. The series will feature interviews with genre greats including David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Joe Hill, Tom Holland, Jenn Wexler, Dewayne Perkins (The Blackening), Jonah Ray Rodrigues (Destroy All Neighbors), Gigi Saul Guerrero, Alex Winter (Destroy All Neighbors), Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island), Tananarive Due (Horror Noire), Swanthula & Dracmorda Boulet (Boulet Brothers Dragula) and others. This looks like a great horror season watch.

A brand new Shudder Original Series, Horror’s Greatest is headed to the all-horror streaming service this coming Halloween season, set to premiere on August 27, 2024.

The series comes from Marwar Junction Productions (Perfect Wife), the producers of Shudder’s hit series The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time.

Horror’s Greatest is a deep dive into everything we love about horror — from fresh looks at classics to unearthing scores of hidden gems, this series has something for every fright film enthusiast.

A gallery of ghoulish pros, including actors, directors, writers, composers, and special effects artists, draw on their unique knowledge to answer the big questions: What are the must-see films in horror’s many sub-genres? What’s the appeal of horror tropes, and how do today’s filmmakers subvert our expectations? What shape does horror take in countries outside of the United States? The answers encompass the breath of...

The Vourdalak: "When the Marquis d’Urfé, a noble emissary of the King of France, is attacked and abandoned in the remote countryside, he finds refuge at an eerie, isolated manor. The resident family, reluctant to take him in, exhibits strange behavior as they await the imminent return of their father, Gorcha. But what begins simply as strange quickly devolves into a full fledged nightmare when Gorcha returns, seemingly no longer himself...

Adapted from a novella that predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula by over half a century, The Vourdalak is an atmospheric, unexpected, sensorial experience that will leave you reeling and giddy in equal measure."

Releasing to theaters on June 28th by Oscilloscope Laboratories

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Killer Shorts Screenwriting Contest Announces Season 6 Call For Entries: "Calling all horror writers! The sixth annual Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition is accepting entries from June 1st, 2024.

The Killer Shorts Contest celebrates horror...

From venue changes and the pandemic to political backlash and the threat of litigation, Salem Horror Fest founder and director Kay Lynch has never been one to back down. The festival’s seventh annual event, which kicked off last night at Salem’s Peabody Essex Museum, was further proof of her resilience.

After its original headliner, Hocus Pocus star Kathy Najimy, canceled with less than 48 hours notice, the festival’s entire opening night ceremony was restructured. On lieu of the original $50 ticket charge, the program was made free (with the option to make a donation), costing the festival an untold amount of money.

But the show must go on — and it did so in spectacular fashion with horror icon Linnea Quigley sitting down for a live interview, while the Hocus Pocus screening was replaced by The People’s Joker, previously scheduled to be the festival’s closing film.

Kay Lynch

Following...

Film Festival

Zelda Adams, John Adams and Toby Poser’s Fantasia and FrightFest-winning horror film “Where the Devil Roams” will open the fourth edition of India’s Wench Film Festival (Feb. 9-March 3). The festival was founded in 2020 by filmmaker Sapna Moti Bhavnani (“Sindhustan”) to “bridge the gender gap in India by driving opportunities and conversations through the gaze of a woman inclusive of Biwoc, LGBTQ+ women and non-binary in art, fashion, and film powered by tech,” per the organizers. It specializes in the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres.

The team, which also includes artistic director Uma da Cunha, programmers Heidi Honeycutt who is the co-founder of the women-focused Etheria Film festival, Shelagh Rowan-Legg, director of the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, “The Lunchbox” producer Vivek Rangachari, have curated a lineup of 29 films, including 14 India premieres and 10 Asia premieres.

Highlights include Ariane Louis-Seize’s “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person,” Jenn Wexler’s “The Sacrifice Game,...

Mena Massoud discusses his role in the horror thriller film, The Sacrifice Game, and how it differs from his previous work in Aladdin. Massoud talks about the challenges of playing a villain and how he tried to bring depth and complexity to his character. There is no update on the progress of Aladdin 2, but Massoud hopes the project will eventually move forward.

Mena Massoud talks about taking on horror in The Sacrifice Game, and whether or not Aladdin 2 is part of his future. In 2019, audience members got to visit a whole new world as Massoud got his breakout role in Disney's live-action Aladdin movie, which became one of the more successful remakes for the studio. However, Massoud's latest role is a whole new side of the actor that audience members have not seen before as he tackles a very dark, sinister character.

Directed by Jenn Wexler, The Sacrifice Game...

‘Tis the season for children to be on their best behavior, so Santa Claus can properly declare whether they belong to the nice or naughty list. The sixth day of Creepmas spotlights a handful of naughty children in holiday horror movies that deserve a lump of coal in their stockings, at the very least.

These horror movies feature kids so ruthless that they draw audience ire and wishes for Krampus to come take them away. The 12 Days of Creepmas continues on Bloody Disgusting, this time with 6 holiday horror movies that put vicious children at the forefront of the terror.

Keep track of the 12 Days of Creepmas here.

Krampus

When Max’s (Emjay Anthony) dysfunctional family won’t stop fighting and nothing goes as planned, he turns his back on Christmas and accidentally summons Krampus. All hell breaks loose as Krampus and his horde of minions punish Max and his family,...

The Sacrifice Game starts strong but falls short of its promise. Average for Shudder, but a slog for newcomers. Stylish with solid production value, but performances are hit or miss. The cast tries to make campy horror work. The film has the potential to be cool and eerie, but is lacking in other areas.

Jenn Wexler’s latest effort, The Sacrifice Game starts strong but never lives up to the promise of its opening scene. She co-wrote the film with Sean Redlitz, and the result is an average film for Shudder, but a slog for those unfamiliar with the streamer's film slate. The production value is solid but doesn’t elevate the film. However, the costumes and music do a lot to make The Sacrifice Game stylish, if nothing else. Like many projects with children at the center, the performances can be hit or miss. Here, the cast is working...

It's Christmas of 1971, and students Clara (Georgia Acken) and Samantha (Madison Baines) are stuck at the Blackvale School for Girls with their empathetic teacher (Chloë Levine) and the school's resourceful chef (Gus Kenworthy). But while the quartet does their best to embrace the spirit of the season, a sacrificial cult led by Maisie (Olivia Scott Welch) and Jude (Mena Massoud) soon arrives on their front step with sinister intentions that are far more scary than any door-to-door Christmas carolers... although by the end of the night it just might be the cult members who wish they had never crashed the festivities at the Blackvale School for Girls.

Such is the intriguing seasonal setup for The Sacrifice Game, the new movie from director/co-writer Jenn Wexler. If, like me, you loved the subversive scares of Wexler's 2018 film The Ranger, you'll find plenty of macabre moments to enjoy in The Sacrifice Game,...

‘Tis the season of abundance! Celebrate more being more with director Jenn Wexler’s “The Sacrifice Game,” a campy new Shudder release that imagines what would happen if the cast of “The Holdovers” got a Christmas visit from the Manson Family at an all-girls boarding school with a witchy secret.

Co-written by Wexler and Sean Redlitz, this grab-bag seasonal period flick — shot in snowy Canada and set in 1971 — is more gruesome than scary and takes a handful of decidedly silly turns. Be it fruit cake, stuffed stocking, whatever your holiday metaphor, the fantasy horror adventure of students Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) gifts audiences steadily stranger fun almost all the way through. It’s a genre blend that’s delightful, baffling, and surprisingly ruthless in its decisive direction with a holiday twist that isn’t necessary for the plot but certainly ties the zany concept together.

What begins...

Chloë Levine, Madison Baines and Georgia Acken in The Sacrifice Game Photo: courtesy of Shudder. A Shudder release.

In a remote boarding school, a young teacher stays behind to look after two lonely girls over Christmas. One a nearby road, four Satanically-inspired members of a violent gang are driving in search of a prophesised destiny. When these two worlds collide, horror ensues – but not quite in the way you might expect. The Sacrifice Game is the latest work from Jenn Wexler, and it’s one of this year’s most eagerly anticipated genre releases, coming to Shudder this Friday.

Jenn Wexler, director of The Sacrifice Game Photo: courtesy of Abi Lieff. A Shudder release.

The film has been a big hit on the festival circuit. It débuted at Fantasia, and it was there that I spoke with director Jenn Wexler, who is one of the biggest personalities in horror cinema and always bursting with energy.

There is something that will always be special about a good new genre film to watch at Christmas to break up the many works of disposable holiday fluff that can dominate the season. Nothing against those films, but they can far too easily fall into a familiar pattern that feels like just a rote assembly of scenes we’ve already seen many times before rather than something truly unique. Sure, there is always the action classic Die Hard to fall back on, but that conversation about whether it is truly a Christmas movie has long been put to bed at this point. There is then a hunger for something new and, for those looking for something more horrifying, a bit more on the bloody side to go with their holiday meal. This desire is largely fulfilled in writer-director Jenn Wexler’s Shudder horror The Sacrifice Game as it manages to...

Last seen in Disney’s Aladdin, Mena Massoud is among an excellent roster of actors in this intriguing alt-horror about cult killers in the 1970s

Putting a festive twist on what at first appears to be a series of Manson family-style slayings before evolving into something more like a home invasion thriller, Jenn Wexler’s second feature is set during Christmas 1971 at the slightly ominously named Blackvale Catholic girls’ boarding school. A couple of misfit students, Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken), remain at the school over the winter break, supervised by their teacher Rose (Chloë Levine) and her boyfriend Jimmy (Olympic medallist turned actor Gus Kenworthy). Neither of the girls are happy about having to stay there kicking their heels, but as events unfold it transpires that boredom will be the least of their worries.

There’s an art to keeping an audience guessing, although different genres have...

Watching Christmas horror movies is a proud tradition for spooky fiends looking to escape their post-Halloween blues and the agonizing two months of forced consumerism and awful music blasting in every department store. The films in this very specific category are known for subverting the cheer and innocence associated with the holiday, and often focus on characters experiencing isolation because their family situation is far from those depicted in generic Hallmark Christmas movies. Every year, we are treated to new ideas on how to make Christmas creepy, and this year fans should be snuggling up on the couch to view is The Sacrifice Game.

Co-written with her husband Sean Redlitz, The Sacrifice Game is the sophomore feature for director Jenn Wexler, produced by Heather Buckley (who previously worked with Wexler on The Ranger), as well as Philip Kalin-Hajdu and Albert Melamed. The story is set in the 1970s, pulling inspiration...

Director/Producer Jenn Wexler’s sophomore feature, The Sacrifice Game, arrives on Shudder on December 8, just in time to spread holiday fear for the season.

With co-writer Sean Redlitz, Wexler’s latest infuses Yuletide horror with a maniacal Satanic cult set at a boarding school in the ’70s.

Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Olympian Gus Kenworthy, Chloë Levine, Madison Baines, Derek Johns, Laurent Pitre and Georgia Acken star.

Bloody Disgusting spoke with Wexler about her devilishly fun Christmas horror feature, where she discussed her influences and ensured a movie titled The Sacrifice Game delivers on the bloodletting.

At the gooey center of a violent, bloody holiday horror tale lies the charming friendship between two teen girls held hostage by a deranged cult. Not only does friendship become the emotional backbone, but Wexler reveals that her horror movies ultimately speak to her childhood.

The filmmaker tells us, “The stories I want to tell,...

Plot: Murderers seeking to summon a demon raid a boarding school on Christmas Eve, holding the few people there captive… then they get more than they bargained for when the demon is revealed.

Review: Five years ago, Jenn Wexler made her feature directorial debut with the very entertaining throwback slasher The Ranger, which put a group of punk-style criminals up against a psychotic forest ranger – and came off like the closest we’ll probably ever get to seeing a Psycho Cop 3. For her follow-up, Wexler has made a ‘70s throwback supernatural horror film. And while The Ranger wasn’t directly said to be set in the ‘80s or early ‘90s, The Sacrifice Game is very clear about when it’s set: December 1971, in the days leading up to Christmas.

Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Derek Johns, and Laurent Pitre play a quartet of murderers who have been racking up a substantial body count this December,...

The final month of 2023 has arrived, bringing with it a slew of new titles on streaming. While December is dominated by holiday fare, including horror, this month brings notable new releases, unearthed deep cuts, family friendly frights, and a highly anticipated genre epic. So here’s a quick, handy guide for the standout horror titles streaming in December 2023.

These ten noteworthy horror titles will be available for streaming this month on some of the most popular streaming services out there. Here’s when/where you can watch them.

Adam Chaplin – Screambox – Available Now

Kicking off December’s streaming is one of the goriest movies you likely haven’t seen. Necrostorm’s slaughterhouse actioner hails from co-directors Emanuele De Santi and Giulio De Santi, and the film also stars De Santi as Adam. Following the suspicious death of his wife, he investigates her murder and discovers mafia boss Denny is involved.

Earlier this week Shudder sent out word in regards to their programming during the month of December. Yep, the final month of the year is descending upon us faster than Santa's sleigh racing against the rising Sun on Christmas Day. Two feature films are helping cap off 2023 and both are holiday themed affairs. Tyler MacIntyre's It's A Wonderful Knife kicks off the month and Jenn Wexler's The Sacrifice Game rolls in one week later. Find links to our reviews down below. And be sure to check out all the rep programming the rest of the month has to offer. It will make up for all the holiday cheer you will have to endure in the coming weeks. It’s A Wonderful Knife...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Director Jenn Wexler's The Sacrifice Game features a group of "Christmas Killers" terrorizing a boarding school during the holidays. Actor Mena Massoud trades in his Aladdin persona for the disturbing Last House on the Left-like villain in the film. The Sacrifice Game currently holds a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, promising a thrilling cinematic experience.

“This Christmas, raise a little hell.” Halloween may have come and gone, but there's plenty of horror still left to go around this holiday season. The latest cinematic venture from director Jenn Wexler finds actors Mena Massoud and Olivia Scott Welch amid a group of everyday monsters terrorizing their unsuspecting victims at a boarding school during Christmastime. Check out the official trailer for The Sacrifice Game below:

The synopsis for The Sacrifice Game reads as follows:

"The Blackvale School for Girls, 1971. It's bad enough that students Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken...

"Christmas Killers strike again." Streaming horror network Shudder has revealed a trailer for indie horror film The Sacrifice Game, made by filmmaker Jenn Wexler. This premiered at the 2023 Fantasia Festival & FrightFest London, along with appearances at Fantastic Fest and the Telluride Horror Show. Available to stream on Shudder this December. Set in the 1970s at the ominously named The Blackvale School for Girls. It's bad enough that boarding school students Samantha and Clara can't go home for the holidays (so The Holdovers as horror?), but things take a deadly turn when a murderous gang arrives on their doorstep - just in time for Christmas. The horror film stars Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Gus Kenworthy, Madison Baines, Derek Johns, Laurent Pitre, Chloë Levine, and Georgia Acken. Looks like your standard group of demented killers thriller with all the usual tropes and lots of yelling and everything else. // Continue Reading ›...

I've been eagerly awaiting Jenn Wexler's next film since seeing The Ranger, and thankfully that wait is nearly over, as her next movie, The Sacrifice Game (co-written by Wexler and Sean Redlitz), will begin streaming December 8th on Shudder, and we have a look at the film's official trailer that pits boarding school students against murderous cult members during a bloody Christmas of 1971!

You can watch the official trailer below, and in case you missed it, read Emily von Seele's 5-star Fantastic Fest review of The Sacrifice Game!

Synopsis: "The Blackvale School for Girls, 1971. It's bad enough that students Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) can't go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a gang of cult killers arrives at their doorstep—just in time for Christmas."

Director: Jenn Wexler

Screenwriters: Jenn Wexler, Sean Redlitz

Starring: Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Gus Kenworthy,...

You know how everyone is talking about how “The Holdovers” is going to be an Oscars frontrunner? That’s a film about a student who has to stay at his prep school over the Christmas holiday, discovering more about himself and bonding with the people around him. Well, Shudder has “The Sacrifice Game,” which shares the same basic premise of “The Holdovers” but decides to throw in a murderous cult for good measure.

Continue reading ‘The Sacrifice Game’ Trailer: Filmmaker Jenn Wexler Returns With A Holiday Horror In December at The Playlist.

The 1970s-set supernatural horror film The Sacrifice Game, the new film from The Ranger (you can read my 8/10 review Here) director Jenn Wexler, is scheduled to start spreading holiday fear on the Shudder streaming service on December 8th – and with that date just weeks away, a trailer for the film has arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above.

Olivia Scott Welch of the Fear Street trilogy stars in the film alongside Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Gus Kenworthy (American Horror Story: 1984), Chloë Levine (The Oa), Derek Johns (The Wolf and the Lion), Laurent Pitre (Under the Banner of Heaven), Madison Baines (1Up), and newcomer Georgia Acken.

Wexler wrote the screenplay for The Sacrifice Game with Sean Redlitz, crafting a story that’s set at The Blackvale School for Girls, 1971. It’s bad enough that students Samantha and Clara can’t go home for the holidays, but things take...

In my household, growing up, we were not allowed to do anything Christmas-related until after my mother's birthday at the end of November. I still cringe at shops that put decorations up, it seems, at the stroke of midnight on Halloween, and avoid the sound of Mariah Carey like the plague. But I gladly make an exception to watch the trailer Jenn Wexler's Christmas horror film, The Sacrifice Game. The Blackvale School for Girls, 1971. It's bad enough that students Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) can't go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a gang of cult killers arrives at their doorstep—just in time for Christmas. Wexler has already shown a flair for period horror with her first...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

From director Jenn Wexler (The Ranger), The Sacrifice Game is headed to Shudder for the holiday season, and the official trailer has come down the chimney this afternoon.

The Sacrifice Game spreads holiday fear on Shudder beginning December 8, 2023.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review for Bd, “What begins as something all too familiar eventually gives way to something more satisfying and charming. The Sacrifice Game may be a holiday ruiner for many of its characters, but for audiences, it’s a holiday horror treat.”

Fantasia described The Sacrifice Game as “a gripping and stylish ‘70s-set chiller involving school girls, power-mad killers and occult prophecy,” filled with both “gore and lore.”

In the upcoming horror movie…

“The Blackvale School for Girls, 1971. It’s bad enough that students Samantha and Clara can’t go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a gang of cult killers arrives at...

The 1970s-set supernatural horror film The Sacrifice Game, the new film from The Ranger (you can read my 8/10 review Here) director Jenn Wexler, won the gold in the Best Canadian Feature category at the Fantasia International Film Festival back in August. More genre fans are going to have their chance to see the movie in just a couple months, as it has been announced that The Sacrifice Game is going to be released through the Shudder streaming service on December 8th!

Olivia Scott Welch of the Fear Street trilogy stars in the film alongside Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Gus Kenworthy (American Horror Story: 1984), Chloë Levine (The Oa), Derek Johns (The Wolf and the Lion), Laurent Pitre (Under the Banner of Heaven), Madison Baines (1Up), and newcomer Georgia Acken.

Wexler wrote the screenplay for The Sacrifice Game with Sean Redlitz, crafting a story that’s set at The Blackvale School for Girls,...

From director Jenn Wexler (The Ranger), The Sacrifice Game is headed to Shudder for the upcoming holiday season, and we’ve been provided with a release date this week.

The Sacrifice Game spreads holiday fear on Shudder beginning December 8, 2023.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her review out of Fantasia, “What begins as something all too familiar eventually gives way to something more satisfying and charming. The Sacrifice Game may be a holiday ruiner for many of its characters, but for audiences, it’s a holiday horror treat.”

Fantasia described The Sacrifice Game as “a gripping and stylish ‘70s-set chiller involving school girls, power-mad killers and occult prophecy,” filled with both “gore and lore.”

In the upcoming horror movie…

“The Blackvale School for Girls, 1971. It’s bad enough that students Samantha and Clara can’t go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a gang of cult killers...

Launched in 2022, NorthwestFEARFest (“NWFEARFest”) is back this year with a full line up of 2023’s hottest new horror & thriller fare (along with some retro classics!).

Launched with a 2-night “sneak peek” last October, this year’s edition expands to 5 blood-curdling days & nights of gooey mayhem, with a lineup of over 20 feature and short films that includes some of 2023’s most Buzz-worthy new genre films, and some beloved classics.

Festival Programmer Guy Lavallee says audiences are in for five days of non-stop chills. “From the moment we decided to start this festival, our number one focus was to bring the best new & retro horror and genre films to Edmonton audiences. There’s a huge appetite for horror here – including from our programming team – and we feel like we’ve got something incredibly special lined up for NWFEARFest audiences. I hope everyone is as stoked about this lineup as we are!”

Running...

Horror will once again climb to terrifying new heights later this month with the 14th edition of the Telluride Horror Show! Taking place October 13th–15th in the scenic mountain town of Telluride, Colorado, this year's Telluride Horror Show lineup is brimming with must-see screenings and special events, including It's a Wonderful Knife, Late Night with the Devil, The Sacrifice Game, and Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor, as well as fireside readings by authors Adam Cesare, Gabino Iglesias, and Jeremy Robert Johnson!

Below, we have the official press release with full details on the Telluride Horror Show, and to learn more and buy passes, be sure to visit the film festival's website!

Press Release: Telluride, Colorado – Telluride Horror Show has just announced the line-up for its 14th edition, October 13-15, 2023 in world-famous Telluride, Colorado.

The 2023 Telluride Horror Show will showcase a robust international slate of genre films, including 21 features and 35 shorts from 14 countries,...

The fourteenth edition of Telluride Horror Show kicks off this month, running from October 13-15, 2023 in world-famous Telluride, Colorado.

From the press release, “The 2023 Telluride Horror Show will showcase a robust international slate of genre films, including 21 features and 35 shorts from 14 countries, with highly anticipated titles including It’S A Wonderful Knife (Tyler MacIntyre), Late Night With The Devil (Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes), Suitable Flesh (Joe Lynch), The Origin (Andrew Cumming), The Sacrifice Game (Jenn Wexler), Where The Devil Roams (The Adams Family), and a special theatrical presentation of When Evil Lurks courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder. Full film line-up listed below.

“As one of the largest-capacity genre film festivals in the world, Telluride Horror Show attracts the latest and best genre films from around the globe and attendees from all over the country for an incredible gathering of horror fans in the world-famous mountain resort town of Telluride. For three packed days,...

Merry Christmas, friends! It’s that wonderful season of warmth, light and friendship. The tree is trimmed, the snow is falling softly on the ground, and the world is filled with joy and love. And instead of going home this year, we’re spending the holidays at an empty boarding school. And doing demonic sacrifices.

Set in the 1970s, The Sacrifice Game opens as the students of a private boarding school are heading home for the holidays. With the exception of Samantha (Madison Baines), whose step-father tells her at the last minute that they are unable to have her return home this year, and Clara (Georgia Acken), the quiet girl of the class who just doesn’t seem to have anywhere to go. Left with their teacher, Rose (Chloe Levine), the group begins to quietly settle in for an odd and uncomfortable Christmas.

Just before dinner, there is a knock at the door.

Submarine Entertainment is picking up worldwide sales rights on Chris Skotchdopole’s feature directorial debut “Crumb Catcher.” The move comes just ahead of the darkly comic thriller’s Fantastic Fest world premiere.

Skotchdopole wrote, directed, edited, and produced the movie and Submarine Entertainment, a notable sales and production company, will launch sales out of the festival, which runs from Sept. 21 to Sept. 28 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, Texas. “Crumb Catcher” was described by Fantastic Fest programmer Anna Bogutskaya as a “chamber piece that melds extreme anxiety with the worst salesmanship imaginable.” The film follows a newlywed couple held captive by an entrepreneur desperate to finance his outlandish invention with a blackmail plot.

With ten years of experience working with Glass Eye Pix, the New York independent genre production outfit led by horror auteur Larry Fessenden, Skotchdopole has amassed numerous credits on several films, including working as the cinematographer on Fessenden’s “Depraved,...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival announced an impressive full slate of programming for its 2023 edition, running October 12-19 with all screenings held at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations.

From the press release:

Audiences are in for an unearthly lineup of films and events, including the inaugural Leviathan Award, which will be presented to NYC horror legend William Lustig at a special 35th anniversary screening of Maniac Cop, followed by a post-screening conversation with Lustig.

The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Kier Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (Bhff) announces today the full program for its 2023 incarnation, running October 12-19th with all screenings held at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations. Audiences are in for an unearthly lineup of films and events, including the inaugural Leviathan Award, which will be presented to NYC horror legend William Lustig at a special 35th-anniversary screening of Maniac Cop, followed by a post-screening conversation with Lustig.

The Opening Night film is the World Premiere of Kill Your Lover from directors Alix Austin and Keir Siewert, who previously announced themselves to the Bhff audience last year with their short film Sucker. The 2023 festival boasts the World Premieres of three more exciting new films: Gaia director Jaco Bouwer’s unsettling Breathing In, Aimee Kuge’s audacious debut Cannibal Mukbang, and Tyler Chipman’s powerfully creepy debut The Shade. The festival’s other spotlight titles include director...