News

“You need spiritual realignment— you’re too far from Christ,” has become an increasingly rare statement to hear in contemporary horror films, yet in this year’s Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism— in which a woman with diagnosed schizophrenia is subjected to a violent exorcism of her internal “demons” that goes awry— once again, we’re being confronted with just how scary it must be to completely lose autonomy over one’s own body and belief system. Exorcism movies enjoyed a long streak of popularity in the mid-2000s and early 2010s, as movies like The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Last Exorcism, and anything else with the “E” word in the title seemed to attract both the casual and devout horror crowds and dominated box offices. But for the last handful of years, mainstream horror has largely evaded these types of movies, save for The Conjuring franchise and things less...

Warning: This article contains movie spoilers.

“You’re like one of those brainwashed missionaries,” Georgia Eyers’ character Lara fumes to her husband Ron (Dan Ewing). Her remark cuts deep into Ron’s faith. But he never wavers. He doubles down on his delusions, even if they harm those he loves. The conversation, during which Lara convulses and seemingly switches personalities, brings up questions about blind religion, science, and mental health. Throughout Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism, director Nick Kozakis confronts extremism and how it so easily spreads like a contagion.

Set in 1994, the film takes place in Eastfield, Australia and follows Lara and Ron as they contend with Lara’s ailing mental health and Ron’s belief that it’s a spiritual matter. Lara has been found more than once dancing naked on the front lawn. She’s been hallucinating, mostly images of a horned beast with scaly, fiery-red skin. While...

Exorcism horror movies tend to adhere to the blueprint established by The Exorcist, using possession to renew faith among the faithless over the soul of an innocent. Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism aims to flip the script, reframing the harrowing nature of an exorcism through the lens of religious fanaticism, dialed up to an extreme, tragic degree. It makes for an effectively uncomfortable watch, but its true crime source inspiration diminishes its impact.

Set in the small town of Eastfield in 1994, Godless introduces married couple Ron (Dan Ewing) and Lara (Georgia Eyers) months into their exasperated search to relieve Lara of troubling delusions and peculiar behaviors, including dancing naked under the moonlight. The profoundly devout Ron snaps at the latest mental health professional and decides it’s time to seek a spiritual intervention from his fanatical religious community. Lara doesn’t quite share the same level of devotion as her husband,...

Another holiday week is upon us here in 2023, with this first full week of April culminating with Easter Sunday. And fittingly, a brand new Easter horror movie is on the way this week…

Here’s all the new horror releasing April 4 – April 9, 2023!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

Living With Chucky, a Child’s Play documentary that celebrates the entire franchise, is our latest Screambox release, and it’s now available for streaming beginning today!

Written and directed by Kyra Elise Gardner, daughter of legendary special effects artist Tony Gardner, Living With Chucky looks back at the groundbreaking horror franchise. The documentary details the history of the Child’s Play films by the cast and crew, in addition to Gardner’s relationship with the series and the impact it had on her family.

Gardner, who grew up alongside Chucky the killer doll, seeks out the other...

Malum: "Malum is a bold and expanded reimagining of the 2014 horror cult classic, Last Shift. On a search to uncover the mysterious circumstances surrounding her father’s death, a newly appointed police officer, Jessica Loren (Jessica Sula) is assigned to the last shift in a decommissioned police station where a notoriously vicious cult saw their demise years prior. The lone officer at the station, she soon finds herself barraged by terrifying paranormal events, and in the process, is taken on a journey during which she learns the shocking truth behind her family’s entanglement with a demented cult leader. Malum takes the premise of the 2014 festival hit and flips it on its head, thrusting viewers into an unrelenting, adrenaline-fueled, bloody cult nightmare."

Title: Malum Director: Anthony Diblasi Screenwriters: Anthony Diblasi, Scott Poiley Producers: Scott Poiley, Dan Clifton Executive Producers: Mary Poiley, Luke Labeau, Eric Kleifield, Bonner Bellew, Justin Brown...

Ahead of its World Premiere at New Orleans’ Overlook Film Festival, Bloody Disgusting has learned that XYZ Films has boarded Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism, a chilling Australian horror movie. From director Nick Kozakis, XYZ Films has acquired North American distribution rights.

The distributor plans to wide release the film on VOD April 6, 2023.

In Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism, “Lara is a woman tormented, torn between science and faith. Pushed by her husband to seek treatment from a congregation of zealots, a ruthless exorcist will try to save her soul by putting an innocent woman through hell.”

Directed by Nick Kozakis from a screenplay by Alexander Angliss-Wilson, the film stars Georgia Eyers, Dan Ewing, Tim Pocock, Rosie Traynor, and Eliza Matengu.

Director Nick Kozakis says of the film’s World Premiere at Overlook, “We’re excited to be a part of the festival and can’t wait to be there in person for the screening!

The Overlook Film Festival announced today the full lineup for its upcoming 2023 edition, taking place March 30 – April 2 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“The horror festival will welcome audiences back to America’s most haunted city with 50 films (26 features and 24 short films from 12 countries), along with extensive offerings including interactive events, live performances, immersive programming, parties and more scary surprises,” hypes the press release.

“The festival will open with the world premiere of the highly anticipated modern vampire tale Renfield, starring Nicholas Hoult as the titular tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula, played by Oscar winner Nicolas Cage. A Universal Pictures film based on an original idea by The Walking Dead and Invincible creator Robert Kirkman, Renfield is directed by Chris McKay with a screenplay by Ryan Ridley, and will be followed by a live Q&a featuring Nicolas Cage and Chris McKay. Renfield arrives in theaters April 14. The...

Attending The Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans last year was one of my favorite horror experiences of the decade thus far, and Daily Dead is proud to return as one of the sponsors for this year's festival, taking place March 30th–April 2nd!

I couldn't wait to see what Overlook had in store for attendees this year, but I was not prepared for how spellbinding this year's lineup would be. From the world premiere screening of Renfield to the closing night showing of Evil Dead Rise, there are 26 features and 24 short films to look forward to, as well as the return of the Halloween costume party, the weekend-long immersive game, and Final Exam Trivia sponsored by Daily Dead!

On top of all that (and much more), in-person special guests will include Nicolas Cage, John Goodman, Joe Dante, Jim Jarmusch, and Chris McKay!

Below, we have the official press release with full details,...

Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult’s vampire drama Renfield is set to open the Overlook Film Festival with a world premiere.

And director Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise, executive produced by Sam Raimi, will close the genre film festival, which unveiled its lineup on Tuesday. Evil Dead Rise stars Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols and Nell Fisher.

Universal’s Renfield horror comedy from director Chris McKay features a dynamic between Cage’s Dracula and Hoult’s tortured henchman and is set to hit theaters on April 14.

Overlook has also booked world premieres for Philip Barantini’s Accused, which stars Chaneil Kukar (Sex Education); Alexis Jacknow’s Clock, toplined by Dianna Agron, Jay Ali and Melora Hardin; Nick Kozakis’s Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism, an Aussie pic that stars Georgia Eyers, Dan Ewing, Tim Pocock, Eliza Matengu, John Wood and Rosie Traynor; Ariel Vida’s Trim Season...

David Ellender’s Sonar Entertainment will handle international distribution of “Interface,” an e-sports sci-fi series conceived by Australian actress and screenwriter Ellie Popov. Production in Australia and Taiwan is set to begin in the first quarter of 2021.

The story involves a young tech wizard who is kidnapped and thrust into a cyber-punk world, the Circuit Games, which are a breeding ground for mind-controlling military technology.

Popov’s Red Empire Productions developed the show. The company’s Amie Casey will produce alongside Justin Jones and Zeus Zamani’s Los Angeles-based Thriller Films, Adam Horner’s Ignite Pictures (Australia), and Steve Chicorel and Kelly Mi Li’s Taipei-based Organic Media Group. Nick Kozakis is set to direct the majority of the episodes.

The series is a private-sector co-venture that does not use a co-production treaty, but expects to be able to access federal and state rebate schemes in Australia, and government production support schemes in Taiwan.

Tones and I takes stock of her whirlwind year of success in her new music video for “Can’t Be Happy All the Time,” released on Thursday.

The clip follows Tones’ journey from busking in the streets of Melbourne to her burgeoning popularity at music festivals and the meteoric rise of her single “Dance Monkey” on streaming services. As Tones prepares for an on-camera interview in the video, the clip cuts back and forth between her and an actress portraying her younger self.

Tones and I released “Dance Monkey” exactly one year ago,...

Australian singer-producer Tones and I released a visual for her new single “Bad Child” on Wednesday, directed by Nick Kozakis and Liam Kelly. The video depicts two children (one of whom is dressed in Tones’ signature baseball cap) who feel like outcasts inside their family’s lush mansion. One of the kids finds a darkness lurking inside the house, and the two of them must find a way to escape what’s hiding underneath.

“I’ve always wanted to write a song in someone else’s shoes, writing from their perspective,...

Plague..

.

Australia horror/thriller pic Plague will be the latest title to test the viability of the multi-platform release.

The debut feature by co-directors Nick Kozakis and Kosta Ouzas will launch on digital platforms on June 24 followed by DVD release through Monster Pictures in September.

Scripted by Ouzas, the plot follows a small group of survivors who seek shelter from an infection that has spread like a plague.

Evie (Tegan Crowley) and her fellow survivors find refuge and wait for her husband John.s (Scott Marcus) return. After the infected attack, Evie refuses to abandon her husband against the wishes of the group, who revolt leaving Evie to an uncertain fate.

With the unexpected arrival of Charlie (Steven Kennedy) what appears to be an opportunity at a new beginning quickly turns into a horror as menacing as the infected that pursue them.

Shot on location last year in Mansfield, Victoria,...